State & Local Initiatives Archives - Early Educator Investment Collaborative

Milestones and Momentum: The Latest from The Collaborative

April 8, 2026

In this issue, you’ll find insights from Dr. Ola J. Friday, Executive Director of The Early Educator Investment Collaborative, key takeaways from our In Our Hands campaign, highlights from recent convenings, and examples of continued state-level momentum to advance compensation for early educators. Read on to see how this work is taking shape across the field. Continued

Newsletters

Colorado Spotlight & Compensation Community of Practice Highlights

June 26, 2025

The June newsletter spotlights our grantee partners in Colorado, led by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, who are strengthening the early childhood workforce through community-driven strategies and strong partnerships. We also explore a new resource from our Compensation Community of Practice offering insights to support teams in Colorado and beyond. Continued

In the News

Paying Up: Enhancing Child Care Compensation Systems in Colorado, D.C. and Louisiana

January 19, 2024

“High-quality early education leads to lifelong success for children and their communities, and it cannot happen without professionals cultivating and facilitating these important learning experiences…” Continued

Op-Eds

OPINION: A hopeful note for early childhood education in 2024 — Some states are stepping up investment

January 15, 2024

“Millions of families may now face a lack of child care following the recent expiration of pandemic-era federal funding. The child care “stabilization” funds included in the American Rescue Plan Act were just that — emergency funding to stabilize the sector amid a pandemic…” Continued

In the News

Early education coalition searches for answers to raise teacher pay, even as budgets are cratering

November 30, 2023

“The Early Educator Investment Collaborative, a coalition of philanthropies that provide grants to support early childhood programs, is sending about $9 million in grants to Louisiana, Colorado and D.C. to find long-term answers for raising early educators’ pay.…” Continued

Newsletters

The Collaborative Awards $9M for Sustainable ECE Compensation

November 15, 2023

The Collaborative is excited to announce our new grantee partnerships! The Collaborative awarded $9M in grants to Colorado Department of Early Childhood, the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, and The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children to support systems innovations increasing compensation for the early childhood education workforce. Continued

Newsletters

ANNOUNCEMENT: Grant Opportunity from The Collaborative

February 1, 2023

In 2023, The Collaborative will fund a limited number of grants to support the capacity of state, local, municipal, territory, and tribal governments to innovate financing systems to increase the compensation (wages and benefits) of the ECE workforce. Continued

In the News

RAND Report Highlights Unique Challenges Facing Hawaii’s Early Child Care Workforce

January 3, 2023

“The early child care education workforce was strained even before the pandemic. Poor pay and benefits not only hurt recruitment and retention, but demoralized providers. While early childhood educators across the country are feeling the burden…” Continued

Newsletters

Grantee Spotlight: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

December 13, 2022

The Collaborative is excited to share updates from our grantee partner University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as part of our Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grant. Continued

In the News

CU Denver will spearhead group to reform early childhood teacher preparation

June 30, 2021

“The University of Colorado Denver is launching a statewide effort to make it easier for new and existing early childhood teachers to earn college degrees…” Continued

In the News

University of Hawaii receives $1.3M to support early childhood educators

June 16, 2021

“Theresa Lock, an early childhood instructor from the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Education, or COE, was recently awarded $1.3 million from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, or EEIC, UH officials announced Wednesday…” Continued

In the News

UH receives $1.3M to support early childhood workforce in Hawai‘i

June 4, 2021

“A University ofHawaiʻiat MānoaCollege of Education(COE) early childhood instructor has been awarded $1.3 million from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC). Under the direction of Theresa Lock…” Continued

In the News

School of Education & Human Development Receives $2.33 Million Grant

June 3, 2021

“Today, the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC) announced it has awarded the University of Colorado Denver School of Education & Human Development $2.33 million for its commitment to transform its early childhood teacher preparation…” Continued

In the News

Sac State to lead statewide effort to improve early childhood educator preparation

June 3, 2021

“Sacramento State will lead a new partnership in a statewide effort, funded by a $4.5 million grant, to improve preparation for early childhood educators and diversify California’s workforce of preschool teachers…” Continued

State & Local Initiatives

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