The Two-Generation (2Gen) Investment Model
The Liz Blake Giving Fund believes that two-generation (2Gen) models offer the most promising approaches to foster inter-generational family prosperity and promote the well-being of women and children in Atlanta and beyond.
What is 2Gen?
While originating from the Foundation for Child Development, Ascend at the Aspen Institute has catalyzed a national movement to disseminate two-generation (2Gen) approaches to build family well-being by intentionally and simultaneously working with children and their caregivers.
How does the two-generation approach make a difference?
Recognizing that parents want their children to thrive, but that children also need healthy caregivers, a two-generation (2Gen) approach considers the whole family’s needs and goals. Many programs focus solely on a child’s development or on adults’ needs; 2Gen approaches recognize that children and their caregivers’ success are interdependent. These family-centered, or “dyadic” models of engagement, simultaneously benefit children and their caregivers through system changes, filling gaps, integrating services, and aligning programs to create long-term impact for the whole family.
What is a two-generation (2Gen) investment model?
The two-generation investment approach focuses grant funding on projects that simultaneously impact children and the adults in their lives. The Liz Blake Giving Fund invests in efforts that:
empower mothers to be healthy, economic providers and caregivers for their children, and
facilitate the intellectual and social-emotional development of their children to ensure that both mom and child thrive.
The Liz Blake Giving Fund believes that this approach to grant funding is one of the most transformative ways to support mothers and children in Georgia.
History of 2Gen Investments in Georgia
Following Ascend at Aspen Institute’s Two Generations, One Future report released in 2012, which laid the groundwork for 2Gen field expansion, Georgia's Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) was awarded a grant from Ascend at the Aspen Institute in 2019 to partner with the Technical College System of Georgia on integrating early childhood programs for parents enrolled in technical colleges throughout the state.
A 2018 Bloomberg report ranked Atlanta as the worst city in the United States for economic mobility. As one of the pioneer states to champion 2Gen thinking, we believe Georgia can reverse this data point, and it starts with the incredible mothers and caregivers in our communities.
Since 2019, the Liz Blake Giving Fund has championed efforts to invest in Georgia’s mental health ecosystem, early childhood education field, and models of financial empowerment with a focus on equipping and empowering under-resourced moms and children ages zero to three through a two-generation (2Gen) investment approach.
In 2021, the Liz Blake Giving Fund supported a Post-Secondary Success, Policy Acceleration and Partnership Grant for Ascend, which was awarded to Georgia. This grant accelerated further collaboration between DECAL and TCSG to streamline systems, leading to the development of FindHelp Georgia. This work also laid the groundwork for DECAL to launch Georgia's 2Gen Academy to train and coach leaders across Georgia agencies to adopt and implement 2Gen principles to serve whole families.
Bridging the public and private sectors, the Liz Blake Giving Fund continues to support system-wide change in 2Gen opportunities for mothers and children in our city, state, and beyond.
2Gen Investment Focus Areas
Funding these areas of interest, the Liz Blake Giving Fund uses a two-generation (2Gen) approach to fulfill our mission:
