About DCCTF
The D.C. Children’s Trust Fund (DCCTF) is a public/private partnership which was established in 1993 as a result of legislation passed by the District of Columbia City Council and authorized by the Mayor. This legislation established DCCTF as a private nonprofit organization designed to stimulate innovative programs directed toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
Efforts to develop a trust fund in the District of Columbia began in 1989 as a community-based movement which involved parents, social workers, educators, medical and mental health providers, religious, law enforcement and business representatives.
Mission
The mission of the D.C. Children’s Trust Fund is to foster the well-being of the District’s children and their families by leading the way toward the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
DCCTF serves as a catalyst for prevention efforts by leveraging private and governmental resources, providing resources and technical assistance to community-based organizations, schools, and churches to strengthen families and thereby reduce the risk of child abuse. A major objective of DCCTF is to define and develop standards for primary prevention for the D.C. community at-large.
PURPOSE
DCCTF provides guidance and support to community-based organizations (CBO), schools and churches citywide to incorporate primary prevention into their existing activities.
DCCTF’s work is focused in three broad categories: public education and awareness, community outreach and program linkages, and resource development and management.
Public Education and Awareness
• Develop public education materials that promote primary prevention
• Develop messages that emphasize and promote ways to strengthen families and develop healthy children
• Sponsoring community forums and an annual "Parent Summit"
Community Outreach and Program Linkage
• Conduct outreach to businesses, fundraisers, and national organizations headquartered in D.C. to provide resources that support primary prevention
• Establish relationships with local organizations
• Serve as a resource on primary prevention models, programs, strategies, and materials
• Conduct outreach to policy-makers and advocates to insist that primary prevention be a component of human services
Resource Development and Management
• Develop monetary, programmatic, and in-kind resources to support primary prevention efforts
• Community-Based Family Resource and Support Grant
• Leveraging funds
• Parents Anonymous Grant
• Provide grants and technical assistance to schools, churches, and community-based organizations to add primary prevention components to their programs or enhance existing primary prevention efforts