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Early Learning Challenge Grants

Background
Using the framework of the National Education Goals Panel, the five communities of South Hampton Roads — Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth developed collaborative action plans to ensure that all children arrive at school prepared for success. The plans are organized around five goal areas with defined objectives and benchmarks for success:

  • Ready Early Care and Education
  • Ready Children
  • Ready Families
  • Ready Health Services
  • Ready Communities

Investment
The Batten Educational Achievement Fund of The Hampton Roads Community Foundation (The Norfolk Foundation) granted Smart Beginnings South Hampton Roads $2.5 million to help communities implement their plans over the next five years. 

Each of the five cities — Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Virginia Beach are eligible to receive Early Learning Challenge Grants to total $500,000 over five years as a matching grant. These grants will fund efforts to address each community’s unique challenges, support regional initiatives and/or incubate innovative solutions that could inform regional or state efforts in the future. In order to receive seed funding communities must:

  • Form an Early Childhood Council charged with implementation;
  • Identify matching funds; and
  • Use the funding to leverage system level changes.

Matching funds from local community sources will be required as follows:
Year 1: 90% (180K) 10% (20K)
Year 2: 70% (140K) 30% (60K)
Year 3: 50% (100K) 50% (100K)
Year 4: 30% (60K) 70% (140K)
Year 5: 10% (20K) 90% (180K)

Impact

  • Local communities will implement initiatives to address local needs.
  • Communities will identify ways to maximize existing funding and resources, providing more efficient and effective services to families and children.
  • The quality of early childhood services and service delivery to children and families will improve.

How Can You Get Involved?
The points of contact on each of the regional plans are:

  • Chesapeake: Kecia Brothers, 382-6191, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Norfolk: Sharon Goode-Laisure, 664-6101, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Portsmouth: Rusty Jordan, 405-1800, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Suffolk: Brenda O’Donnell, 514-7457, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Virginia Beach: Jenefer Snyder, 385-0144, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

For general information about the Early Learning Challenge Grants, please contact SBSHR at 226-8826

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Did You Know?

Did You KnowDid You Know
  • 90% of a child’s brain is developed by the age of 5.
  • 78% of parents of children under 6 in South Hampton Roads work outside the home, and must find care for thier children.
  • 1 in 8 children in our region arrives at kindergarten not ready.
  • Children who start school behind tend to stay behind.
  • Nationally, 49% of children arriving at school unprepared come from middle and upper income families.
  • 18% of kindergartners held back in Virginia live in South Hampton Roads.
  • Holding back a child in kindergarten adds almost $8,000 to the public cost of that child’s education.
  • 3rd grade reading level is a powerful predictor: for those who fail the 3rd grade reading test, half will also fail the 5th grade.
  • In fact, 62% of Virginia’s students cannot read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade.
  • A working, middle class family, with two young children, will spend on average 29% of their income on child care.


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