Every story has a beginning. Our story starts not with the 50CAN network, but with the founding of ConnCAN in 2005. At the time, Connecticut was home to the largest achievement gap in the country. A passionate group of citizens—parents, teachers, policy wonks and philanthropists alike—came together to bring meaningful change to the education system at the local level. Over the next five years, the ConnCAN team built a successful model for state level advocacy.
Marc Porter Magee, PhD, ConnCAN’s chief operating officer, took up the challenge of bringing the success of ConnCAN’s campaigns to other states around the country in 2010.
Officially launched as an independent organization in January 2011, 50CAN has grown into a 50+ person strong network with campaigns in Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina and Tennessee, a national headquarters in Washington, DC and an alumni network of advocates across the country.
December 2010
Marc Porter Magee sets off to create a national network of CANs
January 2011
50CAN is formally launched as an independent nonprofit organization
2011
RI-CAN joins the 50CAN network
2012
MarylandCAN, NYCAN and PennCAN join the 50CAN network
2013
JerseyCAN and NorthCarolinaCAN join the 50CAN network
February 2014
The Education Roadtrip is launched at 50CAN
September 2014
The inaugural class of the 50CAN Fellowship begins
November 2015
The 50CAN Guide to Building Advocacy Campaigns is published
February 2016
The inaugural YouCAN Advocate program begins
March 2016
StudentsFirst merges with 50CAN
September 2016
GeorgiaCAN, SouthCarolinaCAN and TennesseeCAN join the 50CAN network
January 2017
DelawareCAN joins the 50CAN network
September 2017
HawaiiKidsCAN joins the 50CAN network
October 2017
50CAN welcomes affiliate organizations to the network
November 2017
The new 50CAN Guide to Building Advocacy Campaigns is published
January 2018
NewMexicoKidsCAN joins the 50CAN network