Why Does Early Childhood Development Matter to Business?How can these best be achieved, measured and communicated?
What is our relationship with Smart Beginnings coalitions?
What value does VECF bring for coalitions at various stages?
How do we want coalitions to view VECF?
What is our formula for grantmaking and technical assistance?
What should the next phase of VECF’s evolution look like?
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Virginia Early Childhood Foundation
in the Commonwealth.
advancing school readiness
VECF will spearhead Virginia’s roadmap to school readiness to
inform policy and budget decisions,
provide research-based expertise, and
for school readiness.
for investment.
VECF will engage state advocates to be informed by their experiences yet preserve objective perspective for the vision.
VECF will drive research and resources to help local coalitions implement evidence-based practices, uniform data collection, and evaluation.
VECF will convene a research/academic advisory team.
VECF will conduct/sponsor research as needed and report findings.
VECF will serve as venture capitalist for EC,
using local coalitions as incubators of innovation.
Discern gaps in EC system
Identify innovative solution for incubation
Implement strategy
Refine strategy
Examples: QRIS pilot, kindergarten
build capacity for increasing school readiness
at the state and local levels
harness best practices
secure outcomes-driven investments.
VECF will invest in, support and cultivate statewide partnership of coalitions focused on innovation, efficiencies, and results.
VECF will provide financial resources, technical assistance, and peer learning to build community capacity for promoting school readiness.
VECF will cultivate new private investors and leverage public investments.
VECF will build support for early childhood investment by using political assets strategically to accomplish specific goals.
Grassroots Strategy
- show beacons of hope
- expand base of business
- Governor and administration
for school readiness,
regularly report results and prioritize
recommendations based on rigorous evaluation.
VECF will identify and track school readiness indicators at the child, family, school and community levels.
VECF will create consistent measure of kindergarten readiness statewide.
VECF will conduct cost benefit studies
as relevant.
VECF will document outcomes, improvements and efficiencies created through SB work.
VECF will produce community “snapshots” to highlight school readiness indicators, community context, and Smart Beginnings efforts.
VECF will submit annual outcomes report to Governor, General Assembly.
VECF will convene annual meetings of
Smart Beginnings network.
and private investment
Improving outcomes