Committee for Children

Committee for Children is a left-of-center educational organization. 1 The organization’s stated purpose is to develop “social-emotional skills” in children; 1 however, the organization’s activities extend beyond skill development and includes educational programming that opposes “color-blind” viewpoints in favor of racial and ethnic preferences in life and public policy. 2

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism)
Website: www.cfchildren.org
Formation:

1979

President:

Andrea Lovanhill

Location: Seattle, WA View on map
Tax ID: 91-1188127
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $23,514,613 Revenue: $35,762,111 Expenses: $37,257,480

Contents

    Background

    Committee for Children was founded in 1979 to help victims of child abuse. 3 In 1996, the organization expanded to general harm prevention, including bullying prevention. 3 Today, the organization produces programming designed to move away from color-blind viewpoints in favor of racial and ethnic preferences in life and public policy. 2

    Financials

    In 2023, the Committee for Children received $833,038 in contributions, 4 collected $37,703,034 in program service revenue, 5 made $52,348,732 in expenditures, 6 and reported negative net assets. 7

    Programming

    Committee for Children’s programming includes social-emotional learning, bullying prevention, child protection, and educational programming-related research. 8

    In research conducted by Committee for Children to market its programming, the organization states that social-emotional learning, or the process by which young people build skills to understand and manage emotions, feel empathy, and work towards positive goals, can be a tool to effectively implement “racial equity strategies in education.” 2

    However, the organization cautions that social-emotional learning can also be a tool wielded to promote “color-blindness,” and hence hurt people of color by “ignoring dynamics of power, race, oppression, privilege, and cultural differences.” 2 The five key tools the organization identified as essential to correctly applying social-emotional learning are: cultural sensitivity training, “anti-racist” and Black studies education, trauma informed approaches to education, changing school safety and discipline practices to account for behavioral differences based on race and ethnicity, and increasing diversity in the education workforce. 2

    Committee for Children supports ending or limiting school safety and discipline policies that involve exclusionary discipline, the act of removing a student from a classroom for unruly behavior and zero-tolerance policies for violating serious school codes. 2

    Committee for Children cites academic research that found that exclusionary discipline and zero tolerance policies predominantly impact Black male and Black female students. 2 The organization states that studies have found that removing Black children from classrooms has a regressive impact on the child’s education and does not act as effective discipline that improves academics and behavior. 2

    Second Step

    Second Step is the primary educational product produced by the Committee for Children. 9

    A report on the program’s 8th grade coursework on anti-bias educational program, authored by Utah Parents United, a center-right parent’s rights organization, alleged that “[b]esides race, Second Step also focuses heavily on gay and transgender issues when discussing bullying/harassment. These lessons do not simply list these areas as reasons students are bullied. Rather, these reasons are prioritized over others in the lessons.” 10 The report notes that some of the subject matter under the umbrella of bullying prevention, specifically related to gender and sexual orientation, include concepts and ideas that may be contrary to the expressed familial consent and religious beliefs of some families. 10

    On several occasions when discussing sexual education, the program directs 8th grade students around the age of 13 to visit Love is respect. Love is respect is an organization that instructs children to clear their browser history after visiting their webpage and includes articles such as “5 tips for your first time (having sex)”, and “Dating in the Closet.” 10 These articles include conversations and guidance such as “sex can be an important part of your relationship,” and guidance that in deciding if they are ready to date, they should ask themselves if they are “looking for something casual, exclusive monogamy, or an open relationship, like polyamory?” 10

    The Second Step program has been criticized for almost always ranking parents as the final point of support, whether for the development of empathy or guidance on how to detect and confront bullying and bias. 10 One of the first videos implemented by the program states that parents do not face the same problems students are facing today along with a video of a vigil after a school shooting and Black Lives Matter protest. 10 Utah Parents United, in evaluating how the program presents parents to student, stated that “it [the program] creates a gap between students and parents” by portraying parents “as controlling, unsupportive and even ignorant.” 10

    Advocacy

    Committee for Children engages in both federal and state-level lobbying, drawing from educators that use its resources to lobby for its favored policy positions. 11 At the federal level, the Committee for Children has urged Congress to pass the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023, 12 a bill that would appropriate $36 million to be spent between 2024 and 2028 on grants to community institutions and other educational organizations that seek to improve emotional and mental well-being through a “public health approach.” 13

    Leadership

    Andrea Lovanhill is the CEO of Committee for Children. 14 Prior to leading the organization, she was the vice president of marketing and client relations. 14 Lovanhill received her bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and her master’s degree in communication from the University of Washington. 15

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $23,514,613 $35,762,111 $37,257,480 View
    2024 $26,211,226 $37,383,697 $45,193,670 View
    2023 $37,142,095 $38,747,665 $52,348,732 View
    2022 $46,395,001 $34,831,267 $38,430,732 View
    2021 $35,591,197 $30,785,785 $32,135,492 View

    Prior year filings: 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 179

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Andrea LovanhillCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER$428,789
    John Lee WilsonCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER$350,492
    Polly StansellVP PRODUCT$280,795
    Kelsie LongbrakeVP FINANCE & OPERATIONS$268,638
    Emily HolthausCHIEF PEOPLE AND CULTURE OFFICER$247,709
    Matthew CarrollDIRECTOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING$239,358
    Jessica RussomDIRECTOR EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS$235,675
    Lashuna McBrideCHIEF OF STAFF$229,662
    Euthymia DocesVP INTERNATIONAL$222,571
    Sheridan DoerrVP MKTG. & CLT. RELAT. – FROM 05/24$158,843

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $3,986,063
    • Number of Grants: 51
    • Number of Funders: 25

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $998,5812021 Gates Foundationto support improvements in the Second Step middle school social and emotional learning (SEL) program
    $235,0002021 The Allstate FoundationTHE IMAGINE NEIGHBORHOOD
    $220,0002020 The Allstate FoundationTHE IMAGINE NEIGHBORHOOD
    $200,0002022 The Allstate FoundationThe Imagine Neighborhood Podcast
    $100,0002023 Gates Foundationto leverage artificial intelligence in conducting research and development in support of math outcomes for students who are Black, Latino, and/or from low-income backgrounds
    $50,0002023 The Allstate FoundationINNOVATING SEL PROGRAMMING FOR FAMILIES
    $40,0002024 Tinker Foundation Inc."The proposed project’s overall objective is to equip Grades 1- 3 primary school educators and students across the Yucatán Peninsula with socioemotional competencies (SEC) to prevent chronic stress and burnout while fostering emotional well-being and supporting academic outcomes.It will accomplish this, in part, by designing and developing a new curriculum for these grades by integrating two leading evidence-based social-emotional learning programs that improve the SEC of educators, primary school children, and their parents. These programs are AtentaMente’s Educating for Well-being and Committee for Children’s Second Step. Through this project, AtentaMente will also conduct training for educators, principals, and other staff to learn how to implement this new curriculum. The proposed work builds on more than three years of collaboration with the Ministries of Education of states in the Yucatán Peninsula. It is expected to reach 1,500+ educators and 40,000+ students from lower-elementary schools across the predominantly Indigenous states of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán. More specifically, the project will reach 56 districts, including at least ten new districts we currently do not have funding to work with and from whom we have directly received government requests for this program.Anticipated results include improved educator and student SEC and well-being, more supportive classroom climates, measurably increased short- and long-term academic achievement, and local leadership for SEL teams that can provide continuity for SEL implementation. Results from the project will be disseminated widely in the national and international education community through conferences, panels, and workshops and via our existing funders and government partners. Further, we will advocate for continued scaling of project activities over time by leveraging relationships with government allies across the Yucatán Peninsula and creating a road map for future project implementation within states with similar characteristics.
    $25,0002020 Seattle FoundationTo provide general support.
    $10,0002024 Peter a and Marion W Schwartz Family Foundation TrustGENERAL SUPPORT
    $10,0002023 Peter a and Marion W Schwartz Family Foundation TrustGENERAL SUPPORT
    $10,0002022 Peter a and Marion W Schwartz Family Foundation TrustGENERAL SUPPORT
    $10,0002021 Peter a and Marion W Schwartz Family Foundation TrustGENERAL SUPPORT
    $10,0002020 Peter a and Marion W Schwartz Family Foundation TrustGENERAL SUPPORT
    $10,0002020 Silicon Valley Community Foundation
    $9,0882023 United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Inc.Community Impact
    $7,5872022 No Kid Hungry by Share Our StrengthCHILDHOOD HUNGER PROGRAMS
    $2,5002021 The Allstate FoundationPARTICIPATION IN 2021 TRUE IMPACT PILOT
    $2,0002020 Tannen Family FoundationGENERAL FUND
    $1,0002020 The Bessie Family FoundationGENERAL
    $3502022 The Allstate FoundationNonprofit Leadership Center – Travel Stipend for Koua Franz
    $2502024 Joel and Diana Peterson Family FoundationSUPPORT

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $545,399
    • Number of Grants: 8
    • Number of Recipients: 7

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $150,0002022 Health Sciences High School and Middle CollegeSEL FOR ADULTS PROGRAM
    $32,5332025 Multiple Europe RecipientsTO SUPPORT RESEARCH

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    Contact Us

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

    References

    1. “About Us.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/about-us/
    2. “SEL and Racial Equity.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/policy-advocacy/sel-and-racial-equity-policy-paper.pdf
    3. “History.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/about-us/history/
    4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee for Children. Part I. Line 8. 2023.
    5. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee for Children. Part I. Line 9. 2023.
    6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee for Children. Part I. Line 18. 2023.
    7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Committee for Children. Part I. Line 22. 2023.
    8. “Programs.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/programs/
    9. “Our Programs.” Second Step. https://www.secondstep.org/our-programs
    10. “Review of 8th Grade Second Step Program.” Utah Parents United. https://www.utahparentsunited.org/sel.html
    11. “Policy Advocacy.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/policy-advocacy/
    12. “Tell Your Lawmakers to Support the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023 – Advocacy in Action.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/policy-advocacy/advocacy-in-action/tell-your-lawmakers-to-support-the-community-mental-wellness-and-resilience-act-of-2023/
    13. “S.1452 – Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023.” Congress.Gov https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1452/text
    14. “Meet the Team – Andrea Lovanhill.” Committee for Children. https://www.cfchildren.org/about-us/team/executive-leadership/
    15. “Andrea Lovanhill.” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealovanhill/