Initiatives

Our work to promote understanding, spearhead collaboration, and advance policy is embedded in all that we do, including our signature initiatives.

Every Student Succeeds Act

Advancing Early Learning Through ESSA The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) strengthens federal support for early learning and provides new opportunities for birth-through-third grade alignment, accountability and funding. NCECF is leveraging ESSA as a tool to support state and local… Learn More

Family Forward NC

Business Smart. Family Friendly. Future Ready. Family Forward NC is an innovative initiative to improve children’s health and well-being and keep North Carolina’s businesses competitive. It is a business-led change to increase access to research-based, family-friendly practices — big and… Learn More

First 2000 Days

Early Investments. A Lifetime of Results. NCECF’s First 2000 Days Campaign has:Built bipartisan support for investments in children’s early learning by positioning early child development as an issue that impacts all North Carolinians. Engaged unexpected voices as messengers. Recruited… Learn More

Local Financing for Early Learning

Since 2016, NCECF has supported NC communities in pursuing local investments for early childhood. We published a toolkit and website, Local Funding for Early Learning: A North Carolina Community Toolkit, which details local funding mechanisms to expand early childhood investments.… Learn More

NC Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Mobilizing Community Action Since 2015, the NC Early Childhood Foundation has served as the state lead for the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading in North Carolina. The national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has mobilized 300 communities across the country to ensure… Learn More

Pathways to Grade-Level Reading

What would be possible if…We adopted shared, whole child, birth-to-age-eight measures that put children on a pathway to grade-level reading? We coordinated strategies to support children’s optimal development beginning at birth? We aligned policies and practices that were rooted… Learn More

Racial Equity

NCECF explicitly acknowledges the impact of systemic racism and seeks to prioritize strategies, policies, and practices designed to both disrupt racism and alleviate its effects on North Carolina’s young children and families. By equity, we are referring to:Ensuring that… Learn More

Think Babies™ NC

Brains are built, not born. During the first years of life, babies’ experiences are built into their bodies — shaping brain development and building the foundation for all future learning, behavior and health. When we support our babies and toddlers… Learn More