The A.L. Mailman Family Foundation focuses on improving the systems and policies impacting young children and their families. The foundation funds the creation and dissemination of curricula, materials, or tools that promote quality, advocacy, and strategic communication to inform and build public will; applied research designed to inform policy and improve practice; and fund collaboratives to expand its learning and broaden its sphere of influence. 

There are five categories of funding: System Wide Change, Resources and Development; Advocacy; Policy-Based Research; Communications; and Funder Collaboratives. 

Under the System-Wide Change program area, grants promote coordinated, comprehensive, continuous systems of care for young children. Relative to this, for example, the foundation has funded:

-The promotion of policies that support comprehensive systems of early care and education;

-The examination and development of financing mechanisms to sustain quality and accessible services;

-The improvement of teacher preparation systems; and

-The creation of strategic plans for mental health services for children from birth to age 3.

Under the Resource Development program area, grants focus on the development of tools and training materials to improve quality of care and inform stakeholders. Relative to this, for example, the foundation has funded the development of:

-A resource guide on working with children affected by trauma;

-Infant/toddler materials for home visitors;

-A training video for a clinical infant behavioral assessment scale;

-The revised materials for the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale.

Grants made in the Advocacy program area focus on the development and implementation of various strategies to inform the public about early childhood issues and promote public will to increase early investments for young children and their families. Relative to this, for example, the foundation has funded:

-The recruitment, training and engagement of new champions for early childhood issues;

-The strengthening of organizational capacity to address issues of children from birth to age 3; and

-The education and training of state advocates on current communication research and strategies.

Grants made in the Policy-Based Research program area use research and survey findings to promote the development of quality early childhood systems. Relative to this, the foundation has funded:

-Assessment of current practices and needs;

-Translation of research to inform practice and policy; and

-Knowledge synthesis and development of policy-related materials.

Grants made in the Communications program area focus on communications strategies in order to bring public attention to the needs of young children. Relative to this, for example, the foundation has funded:

-Research of new approaches and strategies to communicate the needs of young children and the importance of early investments;

-Communication of knowledge to inform the field and build public will; and

-Dissemination and distribution of grantee materials, tools and products.

The Foundation has assets of just over $20 million and awards grants totaling approximately $1 million yearly. Grants generally range from $5,000 to $50,000, with most grants in the $25,000 to $35,000 range.

The application process begins with the submission of a letter of inquiry, accepted on a rolling basis, and the submission of a full proposal upon invitation.

Though the Foundation accepts letters of inquiry on a rolling basis, to be considered for funding either in the spring or fall cycles, letters must be received by December 1st and May 1st, respectively. If invited to submit a full proposal, the deadline for the spring cycle is January 15th and June 15th for the fall cycle.