Connecticut Voices for Children, sometimes known as Connecticut Voices, is a left-of-center advocacy group focusing on education and children’s health issues in Connecticut. The group was formed in the early 1990s and initially focused on children’s poverty issues, eventually expanding to embrace other left-of-center positions regarding school funding, state child tax credits, immigration, labor, and health care. The group is funded by left-of-center foundations and policy organizations, including the Economic Policy Institute, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Partnership for America’s Children, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. ^{1 2 3}

Background and Activities

Connecticut Voices for Children was established in 1995 as a volunteer-led advocacy group initially called Citizens for Connecticut’s Children and Youth. The group issued its first state budget report in 1997 and, in 1998, changed its name to Connecticut Voices for Children and moved to its current headquarters in New Haven. ²

In 1999, the group started the CT Girls & Technology Network, an initiative later moved to the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund, and in 2000, the group partnered with the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN) to publish its now annual “State of Working Connecticut” report. In the early 2000s, Connecticut Voices became the fiscal sponsor for One CT (formerly the Campaign to End Poverty and Build Economic Security) and co-founded the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance. ²

Around 2020, the group noted that it launched a strategic aim toward economic justice with a focus on family economic security, fiscal and economic, and emerging issues, with a main aspect of the program being the promotion of increased state tax rates. ²

In 2021, the group promoted the enactment of CT Baby Bonds. Supported the enactment of the Right to Counsel for renters, and was selected to host the Annie E. Casey Kids Count Report. ²

The group has promoted the enactment of a permanent state child tax credit and the spending down of state budget surpluses to fund a variety of children’s programs, calling for at least $1 billion in additional funding in 2024. ⁴

The group has also supported raising the top tax rate on individuals making over $500,000 and couples making over $1 million annually. ⁵

Kids Count Report

Connecticut Voices for Children is the Connecticut affiliate of the national Annie E. Casey Kids Count Report and receives funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation to track data on “the well-being of children in the United States.” ⁶

Funding

Funders of Connecticut Voices for Children include the Connecticut Health Foundation, the Economic Policy Institute, Partnership for America’s Children, the Risc Foundation, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Connecticut Community Foundation, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. ¹

People

Emily Byrne was the executive director of Connecticut Voices for Children as of 2025, a position she had held since 2019. She earned $143,655 in compensation in 2023. Byrne previously worked for the City of New Haven, the Connecticut Department of Education, and New Haven Housing Authority. ^{7 8}

People associated with Connecticut Voices for Children made $3,260 in reportable political contributions during the 2024 election cycle, all to Democratic recipients, including Rep. John Larson (D-CT) ($750), Rep. Rosa DeLauro ($450), Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) ($310), and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) ($250). ⁹

1. “Filing Text Search.” ProPublica. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?form%5B%5D=IRS990PF&form%5B%5D=IRS990ScheduleI&page=2&q=%22Connecticut+Voices+For+Children%22&sort=best&submit=Apply.
2. “History.” Connecticut Voices for Children. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://ctvoices.org/history/.
3. “In the News.” Connecticut Voices for Children. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://ctvoices.org/in_the_news/.
4. “CT Voices for Children report calls for permanent state child tax credit.” Yale Daily News. February 16, 2024. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2024/02/16/ct-voices-for-children-report-calls-for-permanent-state-child-tax-credit/.
5. “CT Voices for Children outlines plan to raise taxes on Connecticut’s wealthy.” Yankee Institute. December 8, 2020. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://yankeeinstitute.org/2020/12/08/ct-voices-for-children-outlines-plan-to-raise-taxes-on-connecticuts-wealthy/.
6. “About.” KIDS COUNT Data Center. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://datacenter.aecf.org/about.
7. 990
8. “CT Voices for Children names Byrne exec. director.” Hartford Business. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/ct-voices-for-children-names-byrne-exec-director/.
9. “Connecticut Voices for Children.” OpenSecrets. Accessed November 25, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/connecticut-voices-for-children/summary?id=D000078447.