Why early childhood?

When children thrive, we all thrive.

Research shows that every dollar spent on early childhood development initiatives provides over eight dollars in benefits back to society. However, nearly half of the children entering school in Forsyth County are at risk of falling behind their peers in reading. Fewer Latino students are reading at grade level than in other parts of North Carolina. That’s why we work together so all children can thrive, supporting access to universal pre-K and quality, bias-free childcare at licensed centers and in the home.

In Forsyth County, 34% of children under 5 experience poverty, and 56% of those are in female-headed single-parent households

Poverty has a lasting impact on our youngest residents.

While Forsyth County boasts a growing economy, approximately 34 percent of Forsyth County children are experiencing poverty. Research shows that living in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood is equal to missing one year of school. We’re working together to change this.

A teacher talks with three young Black students around a classroom table

We invest in outcomes to foster equity.

We believe everyone should have access to the same education and health opportunities. That’s why we invest in equitable opportunities to improve educational and health outcomes for all young children and their families.

Our Goals

A mother, who is a person of color, holds her infant in a fluffy white blanket while a white pediatrician uses a stethoscope

Increase health access and support before and after babies are born.

What we know: When families have access to quality health services, it improves birth outcomes and sets children up to learn and thrive. Unfortunately, the infant mortality rate for Black children is still nearly three times higher than the mortality rate for white children. We also know that adverse community conditions and toxic stress contribute to a variety of negative health outcomes.

What we do:We’re working to narrow racial disparities in birth and postpartum outcomes for Medicaid and uninsured populations, and reduce the occurrences and impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress among young children.

A Black woman teacher leads a group of young Black and Brown students through a mock banking activity in a gymnasium

Increase access to quality childcare and early learning.

What we know: Early experiences and environment can have a lasting impact on brain development, setting children up for later success in school and life. However, expensive programs, long waitlists, and bias keep many children—particularly low-income children and children of color—from accessing and thriving in formal childcare.

What we do: We’re working to improve kindergarten readiness by increasing access to universal pre-K for all children. We’re also working to ensure informal caregivers—family, friends, and neighbors—have access to high-quality resources, because that’s where many children are getting their care. We’re also working to increase equity and alignment across early childhood systems.

Help young children thrive, by helping families thrive.

What we know: To help young children in Forsyth County thrive, we have to help families thrive. Forsyth County ranks as the second worst out of 2,478 counties nationally for economic mobility for children born into poverty, and this impacts how well they succeed in school.

What we do: We’re exploring ways to build the local will for economic mobility and advance opportunities for families with low incomes.

Updates and Reports

Educational Equity Through High-Quality Pre-K

A call to action from The Pre-K Priority on why investing in high-quality pre-K is a means of advancing social and racial equity in our educational system and enhancing children’s prospects for lifelong success.

Forsyth Family Voices

A community engagement initiative that trained service providers to interview parents and caregivers (largely low-income and of color) about families’ strengths and what they need to help their children succeed.

Early Childhood Service System Analysis

Conducted in partnership with Forsyth Futures, this research created a comprehensive map of services that impact early childhood development, to understand systems gaps and opportunities for alignment.

Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care Study

Surveyed parents and caregivers to learn more about informal childcare arrangements in Forsyth County, because only 34 percent of young children in the county are enrolled in licensed and regulated care.

Our Grantmaking Strategies

We leverage a variety of strategies to advance our goals, across all programs, initiatives, and bodies of work.

Activating Change With Our Values

We start by listening. Believe in communities. Engage unlikely partners. Employ a place-based approach. Believe equity is essential to everything we do. Focus on outcomes. Support scale and sustainability.

Funding Opportunities

Find out what we’re funding now.

Our Team

Program Officer

Program Coordinator

Project Manager