Head Start
(NHSA)
The Shift
Instead of funding one of the last remaining programs created from the war on poverty
investing in
children’s success
The Challenge
Energize public opinion, refute skeptical studies, and sway legislators: maintaining support and funding for early childhood education
In 2010 there was a shift in Congress and Head Start was at a critical moment, at risk of losing substantial funding when many were eager to make cuts. The clock was ticking to shift perceptions.
The Insight
To many, the war on poverty was political and divisive. But a message that’s more personal, more tangible, and more results-oriented—unified folks across party lines.
We built Head Start’s language on a foundation of investments in children’s success and creating more opportunities for more people, which made the case for funding irrefutable.
The Result
At a time when many federal programs suffered drastic cuts, Head Start received nearly one billion dollars in additional funding.
And, the language spread like wildfire, with everyone up to President Obama extoling the need for investment.
