Community Partnerships may add additional criteria. Communities and state agencies agree together on sites for designation. State agencies allocate funds through a funding formula. Nearly 40,000 children. However, Caring Communities serves the entire family rather than the child only.
Many activities serve entire neighborhoods.
An independent evaluation protocol is in place. The state agencies and communities have agreed to 18 benchmarks. A baseline process study has been conducted by the Center for the Study of Social Policy. Communities are engaging in additional independent evaluations. Benchmark data show that Caring Communities are currently in the neighborhoods with the highest needs, in the schools with the highest needs, working with the children with the highest needs.