As a backbone agency dedicated to supporting young people in Bexar County, TX, UP Partnership has spent years compiling data on kids’ well-being. By working through cross-sector partnerships, the organization has focused on increasing the county’s kindergarten readiness, third grade reading levels, and high school graduation rates, all of which have consistently fallen below state averages. As of 2018, less than half of the county’s students were considered ready for college upon graduating from high school. Leaders from UP Partnership knew this had to change and recognized that looking at the outcome data alone wasn’t enough. They also needed to examine funding in the county and the alignment between county funding and the needs of children and youth. In 2019, the team reached out to us at Children’s Funding Project for help understanding and coordinating the funding necessary to improve youth outcomes. With our help and support, UP Partnership’s advocates ultimately led a successful effort to secure $24 million in pandemic-relief funding to support youth in Bexar County and City of San Antonio.