Who We Are
The Children's Campaign Fund (CCF) is the state's longest-standing, non-partisan political action committee (PAC) dedicated to helping elect legislators who will fight for the health, safety, education, and welfare of the children of Washington State. It is one of only a handful of children's PACs in the country and the nation's oldest statewide PAC for children. In addition to helping elect legislative champions, CCF also supports select statewide races and ballot measures that directly impact the well-being of children and families.
CCF helps elect legislators who recognize and respect the whole child and make the needs of all children, especially those who are most vulnerable, a clear priority in all state policy and budget decisions. Washington state's most vulnerable children are at the greatest risk whenever there is a decrease in state resources. Our core areas of focus are:
- Children's Health
- Child Hunger
- Child Care & Early Childhood Education
- Child Welfare/Foster Care
- Child Safety
- Children with Special Needs
- Juvenile Justice
History
CCF was established in 1990 as a non-partisan political action committee in Washington State. It grew out of the defeat of the Children's Initiative, a 1989 ballot measure that would have created a tax to ensure funding to support programs and policies for the well-being of children in Washington. Children's advocates recognized that the Initiative failed, in part, because children lacked an effective voice in the electoral process. The founders of CCF agreed that it was essential for that to change.
CCF was created to raise and provide money to candidates for the Washington State legislature who will be Champions for Children. In the first election cycle in 1990, a total of $1,850 was donated to four candidates. In the 2008 election cycle, over $37,000 was given to support candidates in critical legislative races throughout the state.
Activities
CCF is an all-volunteer effort, run by an active board of directors who are advocates for children from across the State of Washington. The board and volunteers are committed to:
- Raising and contributing funds
- Evaluating and endorsing candidates
- Promoting endorsed candidates
- Encouraging volunteers to campaign for Fund-endorsed candidates
- Making children a voting issue and a political priority
Contributions and volunteer efforts are primarily targeted to those legislative races where there are opportunities to elect strong advocates for children and to send a message that the well-being of the state's children must be a legislative priority. Endorsements, contributions, and volunteer support have also been generated to impact ballot measures that would be helpful or harmful to the state's children and to support select statewide races.
Since CCF's founding, there has been an increasing number of legislators who make children their priority. Past co-chair of CCF, Rep. Ruth Kagi, is among many Fund-supported candidates who successfully ran for and now serve in the legislature. She is one of the state's strongest Champions for Children, currently serving as Chair of the House Early Learning and Children's Services Committee. She was joined in the House in 2005 by former CCF Chair Mary Helen Roberts, who was elected in 2004 to represent the 21st Legislative District. Representative Roberts is currently Vice-Chair of the House Human Services Committee and Vice-Chair of the House Early Learning and Children's Services Committee.
Funds are raised through special events, mailings, and direct solicitations. Approximately 80 percent of the dollars raised are contributed to campaigns. The remaining 20 percent covers the costs of mailings, printing and postage for information dissemination, and other administrative costs.
A chair, vice chair and steering committee lead the Children’s Campaign Fund. Work is accomplished through four committees: Endorsement, Fund Development, Public Relations, and Membership and Board Development. By-laws govern the organization, which is registered with the Office of the Secretary of State and the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). CCF’s Treasurer handles all PDC filings.
CCF has champions on both sides of the aisle and on both sides of the Cascade Mountains. The aim of the Fund is to continue to generate non-partisan support on behalf of children. We hope that this will include you.
