he Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids works in partnership with more than 130 organizations that are committed to reducing the harm caused by tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Our partners include health, education, medical, civic, corporate, youth, communities of color, women and religious organizations. Through the power of our combined resources, commitment and action, we can achieve far greater change together than any of our organizations could alone.

Current Members of the Campaign

Our efforts to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect everyone from secondhand smoke grow stronger every time we add a new member organization. Each organization brings its own valuable experience and expertise to this challenge and is uniquely positioned to educate and influence community members and policy makers at the state and federal levels. The Campaign recognizes that our partners' time and resources are finite and works to provide materials, such as Action Alerts, Issue Briefs and Legislative Updates, which enable organizations to take action quickly and effectively.

How to Join the Campaign

The Campaign accepts applications for membership at any time. To become a member, you can fill out an application, or you can contact our Constituency Relations Department to have an application packet sent to you. After the Campaign receives your completed application, we usually take at least one month to review it.

Campaign members must be legally constituted, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories, and established for at least two years. Additionally, member organizations must not be a current recipient of any grant monies or in-kind contributions from any tobacco manufacturer, distributor, or other tobacco-related entity. In addition while a member of the Campaign, organizations may not accept any grant monies or in-kind contribution from any tobacco manufacturer, distributor or other tobacco-related entity.

Benefits of Membership
As members of the Campaign, organizations have many opportunities to learn more about tobacco issues; take action to achieve change in coalition with other organizations; obtain tools, information, news and support needed to take an active role in the fight against tobacco use; and forge deeper ties with other organizations that share your views on this and other important issues. Specific benefits of Campaign membership include:

Partners for Effective Tobacco Policy (PARTNERS)
A key aspect of Campaign membership is the opportunity to participate in a coalition called the Partners for Effective Tobacco Policy (PARTNERS). Partners works to achieve policy change at the federal level. Currently, more than 60 organizations are committed to this effort.

Becoming an e-Champion^tm
In addition to the efforts of organizations, it is also important that policy makers hear from committed individuals. The Campaign makes individual activism easy through our online Take Action Center. We call our online advocates e-Champions^tm, and we work with our member organizations to continually expand this large and growing network.

e-Champions^tm can use our software to send a free letter to elected officials, get invited to attend tobacco control rallies and community events, write letters to the editor, and have opportunities to meet and work with Campaign staff and other tobacco control activists in their community. Everyone who takes action receives a free monthly newsletter with updates on what is happening in Washington, D.C., and around the country.

The Campaign regularly issues Action Alerts letting e-Champions know about tobacco issues coming up for debate in Congress or in state capitols. These alerts summarize the issue, provide talking points and contact information for policy makers, and suggest steps e-Champions can take to ensure policymakers do the right thing. After an issue has been decided, we let our e-Champions^tm know the results so they can thank or continue working to educate their elected officials about tobacco issues.

Sign on to Letters to Policy Makers in Congress and the Administration
The Campaign actively promotes policy initiatives and communicates regularly with key policy makers in Congress, the White House and federal agencies. We offer member organizations opportunities to sign on to letters to policy makers and provide feedback on the responses.

Networking Opportunities
We encourage member organizations to attend meetings, special events and briefings with policy makers and other organizations involved in tobacco control and public health

Ad Co-sponsorship Opportunities
Members can co-sponsor advertisements that appear in national newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, as well as in regional and state papers. Costs associated with these ads are paid by the Campaign.

News & Information
Members receive news reports, summaries of research findings and other information to stay abreast of current events in tobacco policy and research, as well as industry efforts to avoid accountability.

Publications & Other Materials
The Campaign issues regular reports on key issues, such as campaign contributions by the tobacco industry and how states are spending proceeds from the 1998 state tobacco settlement. We also have numerous Fact Sheets on the toll of tobacco, solutions to the problem and other critical issues.

Issue Briefs
These briefs are designed to keep members informed about the public policy debate surrounding tobacco use and updated on key tobacco policy initiatives and issues at the federal, state, local and international level.

Youth Advocacy Initiatives
Members receive advance notice of our major annual Youth Advocacy initiatives – Kick Butts Day and the Youth Advocates of the Year Awards. These national events are designed to help raise awareness about the problem of youth tobacco addiction and provide youth with the skills and confidence they need to make a difference in their communities. Member organizations have unique opportunities to help organize and promote these projects.

Credibility and Public Trust
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has been recognized as a highly effective and financially responsible organization. Worth magazine named the Campaign one of "America's Top 100 Charities" and one of the 13 "Best Health Charities" in the nation. The New York Times Magazine called the Campaign the "the country's leading anti-tobacco lobby."