September 2023 – The Childhood Cost Data initiative at Brookings aims to build global momentum to generate quality, comparable cost data on programs seeking to improve cognitive, psycho-social, nutritional, and health outcomes of all children and young people. With this goal at the center, the initiative strives to identify the barriers to costing and put solutions into practice through the development of tools and resources for cost collection and analysis. The work draws on a decade of Brookings research on data and transparency, innovations, and financing to identify and document key principles for effective data collection and use, as well as on the depth and breadth of knowledge of other key stakeholders working to improve outcomes for children and youth.