Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Welcome & Connecting to Our ECFC Community
- Shannon Rudisill, Executive Director, Early Childhood Funders Collaborative
- Krystal Ivery, Membership Engagement Associate, Early Childhood Funders Collaborative
Resilient, Ready and Rising
We were honored to be joined by Carlynn Newhouse (she/her) is a poet, host, performer, and educator, for an opening performance of poetry, including a piece commissioned for ECFC's meeting. Carlynn is a National YoungArts Finalist, the only 3-time Youth Speaks Seattle Grand Slam Champion and ranked 4th in the 2020 Women of the World Poetry Slam. Originally from Seattle, she currently practices in Washington D.C. where she obtained her Bachelors of Science from Howard University, a pursuit funded through the Adobe Creativity Scholarship. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Button Poetry, The Seattle Globalist, the Kennedy Center, and more. Carlynn believes poetry is a form of activism and tool for raising awareness in hopes of making the world a safer space.
Carlynn performed two existing pieces for us, The Sky is Falling and Now, WeVision, which captured the feel of our meeting - having hope in moments of uncertainty, and never giving up our fight for a better life for young children and families. Carlynn's commissioned piece for our meeting, Resilient, Ready and Rising perfectly captures the days ahead, "at the crossroads of despair and determination", and urges us to continue to do the work, so when your children ask, you can say "You were resilient, ready, rising when the moment came".
10am-11am | Connection and Reflection: What gives us hope and supports resiliency
Through intentional reflection and connection opportunities, we explored the context of this moment: What challenges us? What gives you hope in this moment? What supports your resilience? Where have you been able to meet the moment in the past? How can we be better partners to each other and our communities?
ECFC members kicking off reflections:
- Ira Hillman, Strategy Lead, Bonding, Einhorn Collaborative
- Bryan Stokes, Director, Education Portfolio, Robert R. McCormick Foundation
11:30am-12:30pm | Grantmaking Practices to Support Resilient Grantees and Partners
As we approach the election, we’re hearing a lot about freedom and justice. What do these concepts mean for us as funders, our grantees, and the kids and families we work for and with? Core concepts of justice frameworks are the foundations for resiliency: self-determination, community agency, feeling pride in your culture and language, all rooted in place. Drawing from the collective wisdom of ECFC members, we explored how these ideals are showing up in their early child work work and grantmaking strategies.
ECFC members sharing reflections:
Moderated by: Ellen Roche, Chief Media & Philanthropy Officer | Co-Director, Trust for Learning
- Anna Marie Garcia, Vice President of Early Education, LANL Foundation, New Mexico
- Chinwe Onyekere, Program Officer, Vanguard Strong Start for Kids
- Krista Scott, Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Willeen Whipple, Director, Indian Child Welfare Programs, Casey Family Programs
1:15pm-2:15pm | Application discussions: Grantmaking Practices to Support Resilient Grantees and Partners
- Through rotating small group discussions, we'll explore specific strategies funders are using and thinking about, and how they can be applied to our work.
2:45pm-3:45pm Peer Huddles & Connections: Round 1
- (Two opportunities, Round 1 and 2) Meet the Racial Justice and Equity Fund: Investing in Historically Underinvested Communities, discussion hosts: Gerry Cobb, Pritzker Children’s Initiative, Denise Dell Isola, Irving Harris Foundation, and Keami Harris, ECFC Chief of Equity and Strategy
- Early Childhood in Tribal Communities, discussion hosts: Mary Nell Wegner, Brindle Foundation (New Mexico) and April Luong, ECFC Program Associate and co-lead of the ECFC Indigenous EC Workgroup
- Strategies for Supporting the ECE Workforce, discussion host: Ola Friday, Early Educator Investment Workforce
- Nebraska Tax Credit Work with First Five Years Fund, discussion hosts: Jessie Rasmussen and Shannon Cotsoradis, Buffet Early Childhood Fund.
- First 1,000 Days Strategies, discussion hosts: Carrie Bersak, The Burke Foundation, Melissa Litwin, The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, and Lucy Vandenberg, Schumann Fund of New Jersey.
3:45-4pm | Break to rotate topics
4pm - 5pm | Peer Huddles & Connections (Round 2)
- Meet the Racial Justice and Equity Fund: Investing in Historically Underinvested Communities, discussion with Gerry Cobb, Pritzker Children’s Initiative, Denise Dell Isola, Irving Harris Foundation, and Keami Harris, ECFC Chief of Equity and Strategy
- Centering Social Justice for Children in Immigrant Families, discussion with JoAnn Hseuh, Foundation for Child Development
- Grantmaking for young children in the South, discussion with Shannon Rudisill, ECFC Executive Director
- Infant and Toddler Mental Health, discussion with Phyllis Glink, Irving Harris Foundation
Thursday, October 24, 2024
8am-8:45am | Nourishing Your Peer Connections - Topical Breakfast Tables
- Investing in America Child Care Partnership, discussion with Katie Beckmann, David & Lucille Packard Foundation, Eric Buchanan, Buffett Early Childhood Fund, and Jonathan Hui, The Kresge Foundation
- Working with Governors to elevate early childhood in your state, discussion with Steve ErkenBrack, Buell Foundation and Tim Blute, National Governors Association
- Supporting movement building in your state: Meet the Raising Child Care Fund, discussion with Rachel Schumacher, Director, Raising Child Care Fund
- Strategies for child welfare transformation, discussion with Todd Shenk, Casey Family Programs
Thursday, October 24, 2024
9:00am - 9:45am | ECFC Business & Celebrations
- Moderated by: Gerry Cobb, Pritzker Children’s Initiative; ECFC Steering Committee Chair
9:45am - 10:15am | Wealth and Economic Success, What does it mean and what does it look like in our work?
To kick off our economic success and mobility discussion, grounded ourselves in our own understanding of wealth, and what it means for families and communities. ECFC member examples of economic success and mobility work provided a jumping off point for our discussion, sharing examples of different kinds of economic work intersecting with early childhood.
- Summary of categories of ECFC member economic work
- ECFC Catalog of ECFC member examples of economic success and mobility
- Related watch: What does wealth mean to you? (12min) TED Talk, poverty disrupter Aisha Nyandoro
Thursday, October 24 - Grantee & Community Partner Spotlights
We explored ECFC member supported examples around the country featuring grantee and community partners making the connection between economic stability/mobility and the bigger picture of child, family, and EC provider well being. See full descriptions of spotlight partners here.
- Where are the intersections with your work for young children and families? for early educators?
- What are the realities and possibilities in your work, your foundation, your state?
- In this moment we’re in, how should we be thinking about how we can apply lessons we’re learning from these examples?
10:45am-12:00pm Spotlight on Guaranteed Income Programs
Introduction to the Guaranteed Income Spotlights
- Ballroom presentation by Sarah Stripp, Springboard to Opportunities
- Related Read: Springboard to Opportunities, Holistic Prosperity (18pgs, see framework graphic page 5)
Spotlight Breakouts:
- Springboard to Opportunities, working with residents of affordable housing to help them reach their goals in school, work, and life, including the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, providing guaranteed income to low-income families led by Black mothers in Jackson, MS. A grantee partner of the Raising Child Care Fund
- Watch: How Guaranteed Income Can Improve Live in Jackson, MS (3min28sec)
- Hummingbird Indigenous Family Services (HIFS), The Nest, a guaranteed income pilot (pregnancy-age 3) designed for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian and Pacifica families in Puget Sound area. The Nest is designed out of love for HIFS' relatives to support abundance and health, in a setting also supporting cultural connection, doula services, home visiting, and lactation support. A grantee partner of Perigee Fund.
- The Bridge Project, an unconditional cash program during the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life. Scaled to all five New York City boroughs, expanding to Apalachia. A project of The Monarch Foundation.
- Home Grown Child Care Funders Collaborative, Thriving Providers Project, a guaranteed income pilot supporting home based and family, friend and neighbor caregivers.
12:45pm-1:00pm | Spotlight on Supporting Multi-Issue Organizations to Move the Needle on Economic Opportunity
- Montana Center for Budget and Policy, focused on many aspects of child and family economics, and housing many important coalitions in the state, including the Paid Family Leave Coalition and Montana Advocates for Children. A grantee partner of the Headwaters Foundation of Montana.
1:00pm-1:15pm | Spotlight on Housing Equity
- Milwaukee Community Development Alliance, grantee/community partner of the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Responsibility, advancing racial equity by providing a quality affordable home for every Milwaukeean, including an initiative to build 40 new single family homes near ECE Providers to support Early Educator Home Ownership.
1:30pm-2:30pm Cluster Spotlights & Discussion Breakouts
Spotlight on Workforce Supports and Job Training (see full descriptions of spotlight partners)
- Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative’s Employment Equity for Single Moms
- Related Watch: Helping Mississippi Moms Thrive (4min 47 secs)
- LIFT
Spotlight on Health Provider Partnerships Addressing Early Relational Health & Family Financial Stability (see full descriptions of spotlight partners)
- Los Angeles Medical–Financial Partnership
- Spotlight Handout
- Related Read: Pediatrics Support Parents Proof Point Communities
- Footbridge for Families
- Related Read: Case Stories
Spotlight on Building Social Capital and Financial Wellness for Families (see full descriptions of spotlight partners)
- The CASH Campaign of Maryland (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope)
Spotlight on Housing Supports for Early Educators
- The Community Development Alliance (CDA) Early Educator Home Ownership Program
Spotlight Breakout on Budget and Tax Strategies
- Montana Budget and Policy Center
2:45pm-4:15pm | Imagining an Economy That Works for All Kids and Families: Closing Discussion with Natalie Foster, President and Founder, Economic Security Project
Calling on elements of The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy, we concluded our meeting with a compelling discussion with Natalie Foster, President and Founder of the Economic Security Project, facilitated by Katie Beckmann, National Policy Director for the David & Lucille Packard Foundation considering how we as funders, collaboratives and advocates, can help families and communities to build wealth, and financial wellbeing; we are grateful for the time we spent together considering how we can fund the dream - and help families realize their dreams of a financially stable and well future for themselves, and their children.
Related resources:
- Listen: The Realignment Podcast, Episode 535 (April 2024, 53 min podcast) Natalie Foster: Universal Basic Income, the Expanded Child-Tax-Credit, & Why America's Economy Will Be Based on "Guarantees"
- Watch: Aspen Institute Book Talk “The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy (May 2024, 1hr video)
- Read: Nonprofit Quarterly: Building a “Guarantee Economy”: A Conversation with Natalie Foster (June 2024, 12 min read)
Friday, October 25, 2024
Did you attend an adjunct meeting on October 25? Learn more and connect with your meeting hosts:
Raising Child Care Fund State Cohort Meeting
Early Childhood Leaders of Color & Funders Meeting
- Hosted by Promise Venture Studio, ECFC and the Early Childhood Leaders of Color (EC LOC) Collaborative to build upon the ongoing work of the EC LOC’s Funder Advocacy Working Group and the Philanthropy Action Group for Equity (PAGE).