Announcing: The 2Gen Level Up Prizes + Happy Hour

We are so excited that you are joining us throughout the week for 2Gen Level Up, a time of connecting and inspiring our boldest thinking yet on how to serve families in this time of acute crisis and opportunity. As you know, Ascend is publishing a new 2Gen resource every day (check out today’s resources, case studies on 2Gen efforts in the District of Columbia and Maryland), and hosting various kinds of conversations about how to best integrate them into your existing work. We are so excited to see how you pull these levers for change within your own organizations, that we’ve decided to offer a little extra incentive: $5K prizes totaling $30K in financial resources to the field!

The 2Gen Level Up Prizes will go to those organizations that can best demonstrate how they implemented one of the six resources we’re releasing this week, with a special emphasis on really honoring parent voice and power. Stay tuned for the official application (don’t worry, it will be short and sweet) and keep this in mind as you take in all the richness of this week of learning and leveling up together.

Here’s how it will work:

• During the weeks January 18-February 19 Ascend will be re-releasing all the resources introduced during the 2Gen Level Up week, which you can find listed below.
• Applicants have until February 22, 2021 to begin implementing the resources listed below, and then share how it helped them “level up” their 2Gen approach.
• The application link will be simple, shared on Twitter, and open for submissions only during the last week of February (22-26).
• Each $5K prize will go to those organizations that can best demonstrate how they implemented each resource and plan to continue that effort for the long haul. Sustainability is key! And, of course, we are excited to see the impact on and honoring of real families.
• We will announce and celebrate our winners in mid-March.

Resources released during the 2Gen Level Up Week below:

• State 2Gen Model: Maryland as a Case Study for Policymakers
• 2Gen Platforms for Scale: Whole-Family Approaches Rooted in Community with National Reach
• Making Tomorrow Better Together: Process Outcomes and Measures for 2Gen Organizational Change
• Building Strong Client Relationships: The Garrett County Community Action Committee Two-Generation Approach Begins with a Strong, Whole-Family Intake Process
• Two-Generation Approach to Leveraging TANF: DC as a Case Study for Policymakers
• Principles for Engaging and Centering Parent Voices