Founded in 2003 by business and philanthropic leaders, the Children’s Institute is an independent research and action organization, marshalling resources and smart thinking to ignite action for Oregon’s at-risk children.

Our History and Purpose:
The business and philanthropic leaders who founded the Children’s Institute came together because they were frustrated with the escalating social and educational crises resulting from Oregon’s failure to make cost-effective investments in its children. Motivated by the growing body of research about what works, their goal was to close the gap between what we know and what we do by aligning dollars with research and using private investments to leverage broader public investments.