Forward
with Families

Powered by Ascend at the Aspen Institute.

The Kerry Family

State Activation

About

Forward With Families is a multi-year strategy led by Ascend at the Aspen Institute to amplify ideas and initiatives that make life affordable, economic mobility possible, and security attainable for every family in America.

By lifting up what’s already working across the Ascend community, Forward With Families drives policy and systems leaders at every level to act on proven and promising solutions to ensure resources go farthest for the children and families who need them most.

Explore our strategy

Two out of three American workers live paycheck to paycheck, and over half say they’ve lost faith in the American Dream— but it doesn’t have to be this way.

Forward With Families is our collective response, connecting what’s working on the ground with the leadership, civic imagination, and investment needed to a meaningful difference for families now and in the years to come.

Focus Areas

For 15 years, Ascend has supported leaders and built the modern two-generation field by advancing intergenerational economic security, educational success, and well-being through programs, policies, and systems that support children and parents together.

Today, the evidence is strong, the leaders are in place, and solutions are working across the country. Forward With Families accelerates that progress, aligning leaders, policy, and investment so families can move forward with dignity, stability, and opportunity.

These five focus areas highlight where Ascend’s community is
already showing what works — and where aligned action can deliver measurable results for families.

Health &
Wellbeing

Childcare &
Caregiving

Employment
& Education

Housing
& Food

Savings
& Cash

Health &
Wellbeing

Health is the foundation for every family’s success. Yet too many families lack access to affordable, comprehensive physical and mental health care. Forward With Families is scaling solutions already working on the ground — from expanding mental health supports to ensuring fathers and partners are engaged from the start, to addressing maternal health disparities.

Promising solutions from
the Ascend Community:

Expanding access to family-centered community mental health services

Integrating whole-family approaches across perinatal care

Childcare &
Caregiving

High-quality, affordable child care is the infrastructure that keeps families, communities, and local economies moving. Forward With Families advances proven solutions — expanding the child care workforce, strengthening early learning environments, and promoting paid family leave — so parents can work, children can thrive, and caregivers of all ages get the support they need.

Promising solutions from
the Ascend Community:

Lifting up the importance of the earliest years

Aligning policy and systems for expanded child care access

Employment
& Education

Education can be a powerful engine of economic mobility when parents and caregivers have the support they need to pursue it. Forward With Families lifts up models that work: better data on student parents, dual-enrollment pathways that lead to high-wage careers, and campus environments designed for parenting students’ success. Together, these solutions enhance the learning environment for parents and create real pathways to meaningful, well-paid work.

Promising solutions from
the Ascend Community:

Designing family-friendly college campuses

Creating pathways through social capital and job training

Housing
& Food

Stable housing and reliable access to food are the cornerstones of family stability. Forward With Families elevates proven, integrated solutions — like WIC, SNAP, and state investments that prevent homelessness before it starts — so no family has to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table.

Promising solutions from
the Ascend Community:

Developing innovative housing solutions through multi-sector partnerships

Bridging supports across social service agencies

Savings
& Cash

Financial stability gives families breathing room to weather unexpected emergencies and plan for the future. Forward With Families spotlights and scales what works – programs that put money directly in families' hands, streamlined tax credit access, and targeted investments that build lasting stability and wealth.

Promising solutions from
the Ascend Community:

Equipping families to mitigate against the benefit cliff

Expanding access to guaranteed income programs

State Activation

Across the Ascend community, more than 1,000 leaders in every state and sector are advancing solutions that strengthen the systems shaping family life. Forward With Families accelerates that momentum through state and local action that centers families in policy and practice.

Momentum is already building across several states and regions, where leaders, parents, and community partners are moving ideas into action. Together, they show what’s possible when policy, practice, and narrative align in real time.

Take Action

It’s time to take action that matters.

Families are navigating extraordinary times. Decision makers at every level have the power to lower the cost of living, strengthen family economic mobility, and secure our shared prosperity. This is a once-in-a-generation moment to lead with our values and build a stronger future for families.

Here’s how you can move Forward With Families:

Amplify what works. Elevate local, regional, and state impact stories through your communications, media, and narrative platforms.

Convene for action. Bring decision-makers, parents, community partners, and peers together to turn conversation into concrete progress.

Mobilize investment. Align public, private, and philanthropic capital around shared priorities.

Advance proven solutions. Support cross-sector policy and practice that strengthens systems, infrastructure, and local leadership.

Share what we’re learning. Lift up community-informed research, data, and insights that drive
better outcomes.

Integrate and measure. Embed Forward With Families priorities into your work and track progress over time.

Tell Us How You’ll Take Action Here:

Share Your Plan

As a Parent Advisor, I’ve found real support through Ascend — support that has validated me as an expert, lifted me up, and invited others to seek me out for my expertise, professional experience, and education. I feel more committed to this work than ever before. It is connected to everything: housing, healthcare, employment, education, wealth building. When families thrive, whole communities thrive as well. Investing in families and their success is investing in the future resiliency of the next generation.

Isis Patterson

Ascend Parent Advisor