Building the Power of Parents

COFI trains parents to be powerful leaders and COFI-trained parents accomplish great things.

WHO WE ARE

COFI strengthens the power and voice of low-income families in all areas of civic life—from local institutions and communities to state and federal policy arenas.

Trained 6,415 parents

in Illinois and across the nation in more than 50 communities at hundreds of school and community sites

Reinstated recess

for 266,000+ elementary school students

Rewrote the Student Code of Conduct

with a philosophy of restorative justice

Reformed Chicago municipal fees and fines

eliminating 13,731 tickets and reducing $5.2 million in debt

Expanded SNAP benefits

(formerly called “food stamps”) for 40,000 Illinois families

Knocked on 44,341 doors

to refer children ages zero to five to Early Learning programs in 2022

Our Impact

A mom and three young children smiling for a photo

WHAT WE DO

The COFI Way

A proven, family-focused organizing model for how people who are outside the centers of power become leaders, build organizations, and win.

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Self, Family & Team + Team Building

Leadership begins from within. It starts with a parent’s personal, family, and community goals.

Community Outreach & Action

Building community partnerships and bringing parent leaders together around common goals.

Policy & Systems Change

Uniting parents across race and community to work with decision-makers to make real and lasting policy and systems change.

Learn More

How We Do It

Get Training

We’ll share what we’ve learned about building parents’ power so you can incorporate The COFI Way into your own efforts.

COFI Center for Action and Learning

Our hands-on, practical workshops are designed specifically for community organizers, social service providers, school administrators, advocates, policymakers, and veteran parent leaders around the country.