May 24, 2023 “Rockstar Successful.” Why Early Ed Funders Are Backing This Unique Approach to Training Educators May 24, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen One thing holding back the American early childhood education system is a serious teacher shortage. EDvance is making the required education more accessible, drawing support from the Heising-Simons Foundation and others.Read More
May 11, 2023 An Audacious Effort to Transform the Foster Care System Gets a Big Funding Boost May 11, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen Think of Us has a bold mission: to transform the foster care system from the ground up. The organization’s approach, which elevates those with lived experience, landed a major haul from The Audacious Project and others. Read More
April 06, 2023 How the Ballmers Aim to Build and Diversify the Early Ed Workforce in Washington State April 06, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The foundation of this billionaire donor couple has made early childhood education a priority, most recently in an effort to strengthen the struggling early educator workforce through a mix of strategies. Read More
April 04, 2023 A Conversation With Sushma Raman, the New President and CEO of Heising-Simons Foundation April 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen This Bay Area funder moved $155 million last year for a mix of science, education, climate and more. We talked to the head of the foundation about her plans, the state of philanthropy, and what she likes to do in her free time.Read More
January 04, 2023 Backed by a Broad Swath of Patient Funders, Early Ed Advocates Scored a Major Win in New Mexico January 04, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen As support for early childhood education stalls in Washington, advocates and funders are focusing on the states. In New Mexico, a range of funders providing both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) support contributed to a big win.Read More
December 07, 2022 To Advance Health Equity, a Big Hospital Gift Targets the Earliest Childhood Experiences December 07, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Real estate investor John Schreiber and his wife Kathleen are long-time Chicago philanthropists. A recent $25 million gift underscores a more recent priority for the couple: early childhood, including conditions before birth.Read More
November 23, 2022 This Collaborative Fund Is Channeling a "Sea Change" in How America Views Care November 23, 2022/ Wendy Paris Established last year to build and promote care infrastructure, the CARE Fund has signed on numerous big-name grantmakers. Executive Director Anna Wadia is confident about changes she’s seeing in public discourse.Read More
November 01, 2022 Six Questions for Dr. Laura Gerald of Reynolds Trust, as it Reckons With its Past and Plans for the Future November 01, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen North Carolina’s Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust announced it is divesting from tobacco — and taking a frank look at its history and the source of its wealth. Dr. Laura Gerald unpacks the process and the result.Read More
October 27, 2022 How the American Indian College Fund is Strengthening Early Ed in Native Communities October 27, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen The Bezos Family Foundation is the latest funder to throw its support behind an effort to strengthen early education in Native American communities. The place-based approach emphasizes local strengths and traditions. Read More
July 26, 2022 This Major Anti-Poverty Collaborative is Doubling Down on Support for Early Childhood July 26, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Blue Meridian’s big investment in HealthySteps demonstrates the funding collaborative’s commitment to early childhood and interventions that disrupt the intergenerational cycle of poverty.Read More
July 13, 2022 This U.N.-Created Fund Is Moving $1 Billion and Counting for Education During Times of Crisis July 13, 2022/ Liz Longley Education Cannot Wait is a U.N.-created fund with a mission to support children’s learning during times of crisis. Director Yasmin Sharif details how the organization works, and its plans for future philanthropic fundraising.Read More
June 23, 2022 Here's What We Know About a Walton Heir’s Zoma Foundation, a Big Supporter of Early Childhood June 23, 2022/ Michael Kavate This couple from America’s richest family are founders of a sizable but low-profile foundation. Here’s what we learned from a deep dive into their grantmaking on maternal health, early childhood development, and more.Read More
June 15, 2022 IP Briefing: What’s Going on With Philanthropy for Early Childhood Education? June 15, 2022/ IP Staff Early childhood education has gained more funding in recent years, but it still receives a small share of philanthropy compared to K-12. Our latest briefing gives you the key details. Read More
June 01, 2022 How Funding Has Shifted to Support the Growing Child Care Movement June 01, 2022/ Ashley Beckner, Guest Contributor A surging movement is demanding greater investment in America’s underfunded and disjointed care infrastructure. Guest author Ashley Beckner of Imaginable Futures explains how philanthropy is evolving in response. Read More
May 12, 2022 This Funding Partnership Takes a Brainy Approach to Early Ed — and Backs Movement Building May 12, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Will the U.S. tackle its early care crisis once and for all? Many early ed funders believe it’s past time, including the Trust for Learning, a unique coalition of family foundations working to improve access for every child.Read More
April 21, 2022 What We Learned From a Deep Dive Into Funding for Early Childhood Education April 21, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen As part of our State of American Philanthropy series, our new brief examines funding for early childhood education. The pandemic has pushed the issue into the spotlight and philanthropy’s role is more important than ever.Read More
April 06, 2022 Why Funders Are Rallying Behind Some Unusual Suspects Advocating for Early Childcare April 06, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Education advocates are making a big push for early care, but the cause has a long list of supporters, including police, military and business leaders. Here’s why some big ed funders are backing their work on the issue.Read More
March 09, 2022 Five Things to Know About MacKenzie Scott’s Latest Round of Gifts March 09, 2022/ Philip Rojc The groundbreaking grantmaker left it to her latest grantees to publicize their gifts—or not. Since then, there’s been a steady stream of gift announcements, some of them massive. Here’s what you need to know.Read More
March 02, 2022 How One Funder Is Helping Kids in the South Flourish by Starting Early and Close to Home March 02, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen In an effort to break the cycle of poverty, the Duke Endowment is making an ambitious investment in early childhood and place-based giving, with a focus on Guilford County, North Carolina. Read More
February 08, 2022 What We Know About Jeff Bezos' Funding for Education So Far February 08, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen A lot has happened since 2018, when Jeff Bezos first made a $2 billion pledge for early education. We take a look at his giving to date, including a major focus on his expanding network of Bezos Academy preschools.Read More