Early Learning Indiana awards $31M to support infant and toddler care statewide
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Early Learning Indiana is awarding more than $31 million in grants to 86 organizations focused on working with infants and toddlers throughout the state.
The organization’s Early Years Initiative is awarding up to $500,000 to each recipient for programs that specialize in cognitive, social-emotional and physical support of young children from birth to three years old.
Through the funding, Early Learning Indiana officials say more than 1,500 new spaces will become available to families of infants and toddlers seeking high quality child care.
Programs will also support early language development, early detection of special needs among young children, and home visits and parental education services.
“We were encouraged by the range of proposals received from community organizations that care deeply about ensuring infants and toddlers in their communities develop the foundational knowledge and skills that support their future learning and development,” Early Learning Indiana CEO Maureen Weber said in a news release. “We only have a few short years to set our youngest Hoosiers on a path to thrive in life, and the work of these organizations across the state will enable us to make the most of these years while deepening our understanding about which efforts are most effective.”
The Early Learning Initiative specifically focuses on providing support for low-income families, families within communities of color and families where young children are multi-language learners.
Early Learning Indiana received a $50 million grant in March from the Lilly Endowment to launch the Early Learning Initiative. Organizations receiving funding include faith-based groups, school districts, community foundations, social service providers and more.
The initiative comes as part of a three-year effort and more information about additional funding cycles will be shared early next year. A complete list of Early Learning Initiative grant recipients can be viewed by clicking here.