Ascend at the Aspen Institute Releases Learnings for Funding 2Gen Approaches for Family Well-Being
Contact: Kathryn Cyr
Communications Officer, Ascend at the Aspen Institute
[email protected]
Washington, DC, April 3, 2025 – Today, Ascend at the Aspen Institute released a report, The 2Gen Investment Case: Making the Most of Capital in All Its Forms, documenting the $500 million public and private sectors have invested in two-generation (2Gen) approaches over the past decade. 2Gen approaches build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously supporting children and the adults in their lives together. This approach is popular and provides common ground with three-quarters (73%) of voters supporting it, according to new 2024 polling from Ascend and Lake Research Partners. By learning from the past 12 years of implementation, we can spread, scale, and sustain investments in 2Gen approaches to expand opportunity for all children and families. “Investing in young children and families is paramount to the health and success of our communities and country,” says Anne Mosle, Vice President of the Aspen Institute and Founder and Executive Director of Ascend at the Aspen Institute. “2Gen approaches offer powerful, proven, and nonpartisan investment opportunities to improve the economic well-being of current and future generations. Philanthropy has a responsibility to stand in the gap and support nonprofits’ 2Gen work during this period of uncertainty and anxiety at the federal level, and they can solidify progress with their many forms of capital – whether that’s human, intellectual, social, or financial capital. There is much more to be done, and we hope this report serves as a roadmap for an exponential increase in investments to make children’s and families’ well-being one of our greatest achievements.”This report highlights six federal government pilots and initiatives that invested $114 million, $273 million invested by six states, and nearly $200 million from the philanthropic community.A group of 31 philanthropic advisors formed Ascend’s 2Gen Funders Learning and Action Community, which participated in a yearlong series of convenings to gather insights and advise on opportunities for advancing family economic mobility.“The 2Gen approach enables children and their families to reach their full potential,” says Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “By investing in families’ success, we are creating conditions for millions of children to thrive and contribute to our society. We are proud of the Ascend program for leading the 2Gen movement and enabling its accomplishments, and we are eager to continue deepening its impacts.” This new report provides a comprehensive view of pilots and initiatives with a 2Gen approach organizing investments by funding sources, and begins with an opening chapter from Anne Mosle. Findings are synthesized in an executive summary, and the report outlines important themes, lessons, and considerations for new and seasoned funders to advance 2Gen approaches.
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Ascend at the Aspen Institute is a catalyst and convener for diverse leaders working across systems and sectors to build intergenerational family prosperity and well-being by intentionally focusing on children and the adults in their lives together. We believe in the power of co-creation. We are a community of leaders — well-connected, well-prepared, and well-positioned — building the political will that transforms hearts, minds, policies, and practices. For more information, visit ascend.aspeninstitute.org. The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.