Children’s Action Alliance

Children’s Action Alliance (CAA) is an Arizona-focused left-of-center policy advocacy organization. CAA Is a member of the labor union-aligned Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a member of EPI’s Black Lives Matter and Anti-Racist Resources list, and a member of the Economic Analysis and Research Network, a coalition of liberal-left state policy organizations aligned with EPI. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: azchildren.org
Formation:

1993

Executive Director:

David Lujan

Location: Phoenix, AZ View on map
Tax ID: 86-0594785
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $4,075,682 Revenue: $2,053,206 Expenses: $2,369,188

Contents

    CAA has held that the critical race theory-inspired concepts of “diversity, equity, and inclusion make our communities better;” 2 “strives towards equity in all it advocates;” 3 and supports legal status for the “DREAMERs,” illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children. 2

    In 2021, CAA received a $233,333 grant from the left-of-center David and Lucile Packard Foundation. 4 CAA has also received multiple $200,000 grants from David and Lucile Packard Foundation in 2018, 2019, and 2020; 5 a $150,000 grant from the  left-of-center Marguerite Casey Foundation in 2019; 6 a $100,000 grant from the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence in 2018; 7 and a $90,000 grant from the New Venture Fund In 2018. 8

    Former Arizona State Senator and State Representative David Lujan (D) is the President and CEO of CAA. 9

    History and Leadership

    Children’s Action Alliance was founded in 1993 by Carol Kamin in Phoenix, Arizona. 10 11 As of March 2022, the alliance operates a second office in Tucson, Arizona. 12

    David Lujan is the President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance. 9 Lujan originally joined CAA as the inaugural director of the Arizona Center for Economic Progress. Previously, Lujan was an elected Democratic Party member of the Arizona State Senate and House of Representatives. 9 Former CAA president and CEO Siman Qaasim is a health equity administrator at the Arizona Department of Health Services. 13

    Activities and Funding

    Children’s Action Alliance is an Arizona-focused left-of-center policy advocacy organization. 14 15 CAA has held that the critical race theory-inspired concepts of “diversity, equity, and inclusion make our communities better;” 2 “strives towards equity in all it advocates;” 3 and works towards left-of-center policy positions including legal status for the DREAMERs, illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children, and the eradication of supposed “systemic racism.” 16

    CAA opposes educational choice options, claiming they “increase segregation and worsen inequities,” 17 supports the reduction or elimination of juvenile court fines and fees, 18 and opposes tax cuts and tax credits in Arizona. 19 The organization supports the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) 20 and key Biden administration spending policy proposals, urging its supporters to pressure U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) to support Biden’s policy initiatives. 21 22 CAA has conducted trainings with the Biden administration to train individuals how to file taxes 23 and previously supported the distribution of COVID-19 relief funds to non-U.S. citizens. 24

    CAA Is a member of the labor union-aligned Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a member of EPI’s Black Lives Matter and Anti-Racist Resources list, and a member of the Economic Analysis and Research Network, a coalition of liberal-left state policy organizations. 1 CAA is a partner of the left-of-center Arizona Center for Economic Progress and a “lead ally” of the Alliance for Early Success in Arizona. 25 The alliance’s initiatives include Arizona Early Childhood Alliance, Fostering Advocates Arizona, the Cover Kids Coalition, and Arizona Grandparent Advocates. 12

    Finances

    Grantmaking

    Children’s Action Alliance distributed $25,000 grants to the left-of-center One Arizona and the Arizona Center for Empowerment in 2019. 26 In 2018, CAA granted $15,324 to the Arizona Community Foundation. 27

    Funding

    Children’s Action Alliance receives its funding from grants, foundation grants, individual donations. 12 In 2021, CAA received $233,333 from the left-of-center David and Lucile Packard Foundation. 4

     

    In 2020, Children’s Action Alliance reported receiving grants totaling $3,264,431 and reported expenses of $2,486,655. 15 In 2019, the organization received $2,201,694 of contributions and grants and reported expenses of $2,051,874. 15

    In 2020, CAA received a $200,000 grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; 28 a $42,825 grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the strategic planning process; 29 and $30,000 from The Arizona Republic’s annual holiday giving campaign, in which the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust matched donations at $.50 per dollar, up to $100,000. 30

    CAA received grants of $200,000 from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; 5 $150,000 from the left-of-center Marguerite Casey Foundation; 6 $75,000 from the Hopewell Fund; 31 $28,528 from Valley of the Sun United Way; 32 and $10,000 from Banner Health in 2019. 33

    In 2018, CAA received a $200,000 from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation; 34 $100,000 from the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence 7 $90,000 from the New Venture Fund; 8 $90,000 from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; 35 and $50,000 from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. 36

    Between 2008 and 2017, CAA also received $5,000 from the Alliance for Early Success in 2017 37 and $70,000 from Mazon Inc. in 2017; 38 $76,555 from the Arizona Community Foundation and $5100 from the Helios Education Foundation in 2016; 39 $100,000 from the Dentaquest Partnership for Oral Health Advancement 40 and $6,250 from Community Catalyst in 2015; 41 $210,000 from the Marguerite Casey Foundation 42 and $260,000 from the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 2013; 43 and $100,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in 2008. 44

    CAA has also received grants from the left-of-center Ford Foundation as a part of its State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI) 45 and financial support from the left-of-center Public Welfare Foundation to support the Justice For Arizona Youth Program. 46

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $4,075,682 $2,053,206 $2,369,188 View
    2024 $3,908,143 $2,228,977 $2,399,064 View
    2023 $3,854,350 $2,332,119 $2,647,628 View
    2022 $4,017,869 $2,667,243 $2,675,990 View
    2021 $4,415,369 $3,030,443 $2,674,276 View
    2020 $3,941,622 $3,281,048 $2,486,755 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 15

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    January ContrerasExecutive Dir.$190,311
    Jason MooreVP OF FIN & OPS$62,778
    Damita CurryVP COMMS & DEV$61,855
    Ashley M AndersonVICE CHAIR$3,100

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $22,987,063
    • Number of Grants: 433
    • Number of Funders: 87

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $500,0002024 The David and Lucile Packard Foundationin support of enhancing child and family coverage in Arizona and improving outcomes and support for maternal and child health, child development, and family economic support
    $450,0002026 The David and Lucile Packard Foundationin support of enhancing child and family coverage in Arizona and improving outcomes and support for maternal and child health, child development, and family economic support
    $246,0002022 Partnership For America's ChildrenTO SUPPORT CHILD ADVOCACY WORK
    $233,3332021 The David and Lucile Packard FoundationTo protect Arizona’s health coverage gains, work to expand access, eligibility, and benefits where possible and to reduce health inequities by closing the coverage gap for American Indian and immigrant children in Arizona
    $220,0002024 Georgetown UniversitySubaward
    $218,5002023 Georgetown UniversitySubaward
    $201,5102020 The Annie E. Casey FoundationSupport Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative work in Arizona
    $200,0002023 The David and Lucile Packard Foundationto protect and strengthen policies that will improve children's access to quality health care in Arizona
    $200,0002022 The David and Lucile Packard FoundationTo protect and strengthen policies that will improve children's access to quality health care in Arizona
    $200,0002020 The David and Lucile Packard FoundationTo protect and strengthen policies that will improve children's access to quality health care in Arizona
    $180,0002024 Community Catalyst, Inc.SUPPORT HEALTH ISSUES
    $180,0002022 The Annie E. Casey FoundationSupport Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative work in Arizona
    $178,5912023 CareQuest Institute for Oral HealthOver $106,000 is allocated toward staff time for the deliverables of the project. $22,000 of the budget is allocated for convening and meeting expenses for AZOHC and local partners. Approximately $8,000 of the budget is related to communications expenses. Lastly, $18,000 is delineated within the budget for the execution of an Advocacy Day at the AZ state house for AZOHC and partners. This request represents 5% of the organization's overall budget. The project work is also supported by $25,000 in match funding from Children's Action Alliance and funders outside of CareQuest Institute, including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
    $178,5912023 Carequest Foundation IncThe purpose of this grant is to support advocacy related to dental benefits, workforce, and teledentistry, education for the current and upcoming dental workforce, and engagement of new community organizations in the Arizona Oral Health Coalition.
    $175,5002020 Partnership For America's ChildrenTO SUPPORT CHILD AVOCACY WORK
    $175,0002022 CareQuest Institute for Oral HealthThe purpose of this grant is to support Children's Action Alliance and Arizona Oral Health Coalition's (CAA/AZOHC) efforts to advocate for comprehensive Medicaid adult dental coverage, access to care for underserved and under-resourced populations, and enhanced emphasis on provider cultural competency.
    $175,0002021 CareQuest Institute for Oral HealthThis proposal is to support Children's Action Alliance in advancing Medicaid policies and regulations in support of comprehensive coverage for pregnant women, scope of practice policies for Affiliated Practice Dental Hygienists, reduce implicit bias within the program and providers, and address specific administrative barriers that are preventing current and former foster youth in accessing necessary orthodontic care.
    $175,0002021 Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiesSafety Net Initiative Project
    $175,0002020 Carequest Foundation IncTo advance oral health policy and network adequacy in Arizona through policy advocacy, oversight of the Arizona Oral Health Coalition, and broad community engagement
    $170,1182024 CareQuest Institute for Oral HealthThe grant funds will support staff, travel, meetings and conference expenses, and marketing efforts
    $170,1182024 Carequest Foundation IncThe purpose of this grant is for the Arizona Oral Health Coalition (AZOHC), with support from Children's Action Alliance (CAA), to lead legislative and administrative efforts in pursuit of oral health equity by continuing to advocate for a comprehensive adult dental benefit in Arizona's Medicaid program.
    $150,0002022 New Venture FundCIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY
    $150,0002022 Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiesGeneral Support
    $150,0002021 Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiesFederal Policy and Advocacy Project
    $150,0002021 Center on Budget and Policy PrioritiesProactive Revenues Cohort Project

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $681,409
    • Number of Grants: 20
    • Number of Recipients: 15

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $137,0002023 Arizona Center for EmpowermentPeople First Economy Project
    $108,9852024 Southwest Human DevelopmentEARLY CHILDHOOD POLICY
    $50,0002022 Progress ArizonaElection Education
    $38,0002024 Arizona Center for EmpowermentPEOPLE FIRST ECONOMY PROJECT
    $35,0002022 Arizona Food Bank NetworkSafety Net Issues
    $35,0002021 Arizona Food Bank NetworkSAFETY NET ISSUES
    $30,0002025 Asian Pacific Community in ActionHealth Affordability Cohort Subgran
    $25,0002021 One ArizonaEDUCATE FAMILIES
    $24,0002023 Arizona Early Childhood Education AssociationEarly Childhood Policy
    $24,0002023 Arizona Head Start AssociationEarly Childhood Policy
    $24,0002023 Southern Az Assoc for the Ed of Young ChildrenEarly Childhood Policy
    $22,0002025 Child & Family Resources, Inc.Early Childhood Subgrant
    $12,5002025 Arizona Center for EmpowermentBetter Taxes Better America Subgran
    $3,0002022 Regional Center for Border Health IncHealth Care Enrollment

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

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