HARTFORD, CT – The Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, a collaborative of 21 funders from across the state, has received a $150,000 grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA). The grant award was part of CHEFA’s newly established $3 million FY 2021 COVID-19 Grant Program. The grant monies will support CTCARES for Family Child Care, a public-private partnership with the state’s Office of Early Childhood and Connecticut’s philanthropy community. CHEFA’s grant brings total philanthropic support for this effort to more than $1.15 million in addition to significant federal and state stabilization funding.
“CHEFA is proud to support The Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative with this significant grant from CHEFA’s FY 2021 CHEFA COVID-19 Grant Program. The grant will have a meaningful impact on Connecticut families during this challenging time. CHEFA is one of only a few statewide entities providing philanthropic resources to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. We value our partnership with the nonprofit community,” stated Jeanette W. Weldon, CHEFA’s Executive Director.
“Family child care is playing a critical role in helping families access safe and healthy places for their children during the pandemic. OEC is supporting licensed home-based providers through Staffed Family Child Care Networks that serve as hubs to link providers to business supports, a Nurse Warm Line, and behavioral health supports. OEC is grateful for the Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, CHEFA, and the other funders who have stepped up to ensure that family child care is available now and in the long term to address family needs,” said OEC Commissioner Beth Bye.
CTCARES for Family Child Care connects licensed family child care providers with a Family Child Care Network to help small, home-based providers keep their business running during this challenging time. Licensed family child care plays a critical role in Connecticut’s economy by providing child care to enable parents to work and financially support their families. The CHEFA grant will provide resources and technical supports to the family child care providers, including professional development, coaching and consultation, business development training, and administrative support to increase the quality and sustainability of the family child care business.
“As a member of the Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, CHEFA has been a leader in both early care and workforce issues. This generous contribution supports both our efforts to ensure adequate, high-quality care for children and maintains family child care providers as critical businesses in our state’s economy,” noted Carol P. O’Donnell, executive director of the Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative.
In addition to the Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative, 14 philanthropic organizations, including community, family, and corporate foundations and United Ways, provided support to CT Cares for Family Child Care.
The Connecticut Early Childhood Funder Collaborative (Collaborative) is a project of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy (CCP). The Collaborative comprises 21 funders from around the state who bring many years of experience in supporting and operating programs that serve the needs of children and families. Founded in 2011, the Collaborative worked toward the creation of an Office of Early Childhood (OEC) at the state level that merges state agencies serving young children and their families to better integrate systems and services.
The Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority (CHEFA) is a quasi-public organization that provides access to tax-exempt financing, grants, and other financial assistance to educational institutions, healthcare providers, childcare providers, and other qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations. CHEFA has issued over $21.3B in bonds since 1965 and awarded more than $38M in grants since 2002. CHEFA is a self-supporting entity, receiving no state funds or taxpayer dollars.
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Contact:
Carol O’Donnell
Executive Director
Connecticut Early Childhood Collaborative
203-927-5997
codonnell@ctphilanthropy.org
Website: www.ctphilanthropy.org/ct-early-childhood-funder-collaborative
