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NEW FOR 2009
The Pritzker Early Childhood Foundation, like many other foundations and
not-for-profits, is taking the recent financial crisis very seriously. Our
endowment, like most others, has decreased at the same time that
not-for-profits are experiencing a higher need for funding and foundation
support. Therefore, our board decided that adjustments in our grant-making
strategies needed to happen in order to make the most impact in these difficult
economic times.
The Pritzker Early Childhood Foundation has traditionally supported the
expansion or improvement of evidence-based early childhood programs through
replication efforts or by staff development. However, beginning in the fall of
2008, we decided that our first priority would be to assist with the
maintenance of programs in organizations we are already supporting by giving
general support grants and not for the expansion or development of new
projects. Additionally, funding will go to the organizations we feel have been
the most affected by the economic crisis, but are still able to maintain
programming at current levels.
ABOUT US
The Pritzker Early Childhood Foundation (PECF) was established in 2003
to support initiatives in the field of early childhood development. The
Foundation focuses both on expanding and increasing the effectiveness of
programs and practices that have proven successful in providing high-quality
services to youngsters in underserved communities. The Foundation’s goal is to
furnish children from the prenatal stage to age five with the tools that
will help them succeed in school – a goal that can only be realized by
nurturing them from the earliest weeks and months of their lives.
Following is a summary of our four categories of grants, whose collective
purpose is to ensure that the changes and improvements incorporated as a result
of our support are permanent.
I. REPLICATION grants support organizations that assist multiple
sites, generally in more than one state, in broadening the reach and
effectiveness of their evidence-based programs and practices.
II. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT grants support the provision of
technical assistance and training in proven programs and practices to staff in
multiple sites, often in more than one state.
III. EQUIP (Early Childhood Quality Improvement Program) grants
support individual child care centers in Chicago in improving specific programs
or practices that have a direct impact on children. EQUIP is a partnership of
PECF and other Chicago foundations with a commitment to early childhood
development.
III. NEW FOR 2009 Grants to support the maintenance of
programming that we are currently funding.
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