Lilly Endowment Awards $15M to Early Childcare Program
(IIB Photo/Mary-Rachel Redman)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded a three-year, $15 million grant to nonprofit Early Learning Indiana.
The organization’s mission is to increase access to high-quality early childhood education across the state, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.
“There is a need for more high-quality early learning programs in Indiana,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “Early Learning Indiana is playing an important role in addressing this need by helping ensure that more children are enrolled in high-quality programs throughout the state.”
The nonprofit says crucial brain development occurs from birth to age five, so it’s vital a child has access to positive early learning experiences.
The organization says it has received $13 million of the grant. Lilly Endowment says it’s making an additional $2 million in matching funds to encourage other funders to support Early Learning Indiana.
“This investment in high-quality early childhood education for Hoosier children and families will allow us to advance promising practices and spur innovative thinking to tackle workforce challenges and other systemic barriers that persist in the field,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Maureen Weber.
Early Learning runs nine childcare centers in Indianapolis.