Stay Connected
Stay up-to-date with our latest research and insights. We do not share or sell email addresses to outside parties. We will use your email address only to send you relevant content, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
NEWS
2024
IN THE NEWS – January 19, 2024
Paying Up: Enhancing Child Care Compensation Systems in Colorado, D.C. and Louisiana, Early Learning Nation
“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…” READ MORE
OP-ED – January 15, 2024
OPINION: A hopeful note for early childhood education in 2024 — Some states are stepping up investment, The Hechinger Report
“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…” READ MORE
2023
IN THE NEWS – December 13, 2023
ECE Workers Identify Issues Barriers to National Certification, Study Finds, Early Learning Nation
“A majority of early childhood education (ECE) workers who would be most affected by the creation of a national teaching certification expressed support for such a system, according to a recent study on advancing ECE compensation and equity…” READ MORE (Link may be broken — archived version)
IN THE NEWS – December 12, 2023
New Funding Initiative Aims to Boost Wages for Early Educators — And Help Fix a Broken System, Inside Philanthropy
“America’s child care system is broken,” the Annie E. Casey Foundation stated flatly when it released its Kids Count Data Book this year. Each year, the foundation provides an overview of American children and their wellbeing…” READ MORE
Access the full article here.
IN THE NEWS – November 30, 2023
Early education coalition searches for answers to raise teacher pay, even as budgets are cratering, The Hechinger Report
“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.…” READ MORE
PRESS RELEASE – November 15, 2023
“Today the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (The Collaborative) awarded $9M in grants to support public systems innovations in increasing wages and benefits for the early childhood education (ECE) workforce…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – February 21, 2023
Investing in New Systems for Paying Educators What They Need and Deserve, Early Learning Nation
“For U.S. children to realize their potential, the professionals who care and educate them need the training, respect and compensation that make for a fulfilling career. The Early Educator Investment Collaborative is dedicated to promising and innovative ways to make that happen…” READ MORE
ON THE RADIO – February 14, 2023
Teaching the youngest: grant offering targets early-learning programs, The Jefferson Exchange
“People who know about children and their care tell us often that taking good care of children EARLY in life pays big dividends later. That’s why so much attention is paid to quality childcare for working parents…” LISTEN HERE
IN THE NEWS – January 3, 2023
RAND Report Highlights Unique Challenges Facing Hawaii’s Early Child Care Workforce, Early Learning Nation
“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…” READ MORE
2022
IN THE NEWS – November 4, 2022
Squaring Up with History: Child Trends’ Chrishana Lloyd and Julianna Carlson Dig Deep on the Value of Care, Early Learning Nation
“A new report commissioned by the Early Educator Investment Collaborative—Mary Pauper: A Historical Exploration of Early Care and Education Compensation, Policy and Solutions—is one of the most talked-about publications in the field today…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – August 9, 2022
For Early-Childhood Grant Makers, Collaboration Is Key, Chronicle of Philanthropy
“When Phyllis Glink took a job at the Irving Harris Foundation 26 years ago, the foundation’s namesake donor would often share a parable. It went like this: A group of people are sitting on a riverbank…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – August 4, 2022
Raising Child Care Fund Grantees Lifting Up Voices of Early Educators, Early Childhood Funders Collaborative
“The Raising Child Care Fund (RCCF), an initiative of ECFC, pools private foundation dollars to give grants to groups that lift up the voices of families, early educators, and allies…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – April 2022
State of American Philanthropy: Giving for Early Childhood Education, Inside Philanthropy
“Until recently, philanthropy has neglected early childhood education (ECE) in favor of higher-profile funding areas, like K-12 education and healthcare. But that has begun to change in recent years…” READ MORE
Access the full report here.
IN THE NEWS – April 21, 2022
States stuck trying to fix early ed pay as feds drop the ball, The Hechinger Report
“Earlier this year, I spent some time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin learning about local efforts to draw new early childhood teachers into the field by creating programs that allow high school students…” READ MORE
OP-ED – February 12, 2022
Op-Ed: America’s approach to early childhood education is completely unsustainable, Los Angeles Times
“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, alarming attrition and turnover in the early education workforce has gotten even worse. Prior to the pandemic, turnover in the field was already as high as…” READ MORE
2021
IN THE NEWS– September 1, 2021
Funders Seek to Jumpstart Early Ed with a Focus on Educators, Inside Philanthropy.
“To improve early childhood education in the U.S., there’s a lot that needs to be done—including developing a reliable stream of skilled early educators. This is a key component…” READ MORE
Access the full article here.
IN THE NEWS – June 30, 2021
“CU Denver will spearhead group to reform early childhood teacher preparation,” Chalkbeat Colorado
“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…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 23, 2021
Why Major Funders Are Teaming Up to Support Early Childhood Educators, Inside Philanthropy.
“Evidence of the benefits of quality early childhood education keeps piling up, including downstream benefits that would more than cover the cost of the
investment. It’s now so compelling that one wonders why we don’t just make early education universally available…” READ MORE
Access the full article here.
IN THE NEWS – June 16, 2021
University of Hawaii receives $1.3M to support early childhood educators, Pacific Business News
“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…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 9, 2021
Eliminating Structural Inequities in Workforce Preparation: New Grants from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, Early Learning Nation
“Georgia State University (GSU) professor Tonia R. Durden believes the impact of her work extends far beyond the Metro Atlanta area…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 9, 2021
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative Awards $10.4M For Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Programs, Heising-Simons Foundation
“The Early Educator Investment Collaborative (The Collaborative) has announced $10.4 million in grants to support partnerships between institutions of higher education (IHEs) and states or tribal nations to transform early educator preparation programs. The Heising-Simons Foundation…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 7, 2021
Collaborative invests $10.4 million in early childhood educators, Philanthropy News Digest
“The Early Educator Investment Collaborative, a coalition of funders focused on supporting the early childhood education workforce, has announced grants totaling $10.4 million…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 4, 2021
National Education Collaborative Chooses CMN for Major Grant, College of Menominee Nation
“The College of Menominee Nation (CMN) is one of six U.S. institutions of higher education to be selected for grants from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC). CMN, which will…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 4, 2021
UH receives $1.3M to support early childhood workforce in Hawai‘i, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
“A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College 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…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 3, 2021
School of Education & Human Development Receives $2.33 Million Grant, University of Colorado Denver
“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…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 3, 2021
Sac State to lead statewide effort to improve early childhood educator preparation, California State University, Sacramento
“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…” READ MORE
IN THE NEWS – June 3, 2021
Georgia State Faculty Receive $800,000 Grant To Diversify Early Childhood Education Workforce in Georgia, Georgia State University
“ATLANTA—Georgia State University faculty members Tonia Durden and Stacey French-Lee have received a two-year, $800,000 grant from the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC) to expand and diversify Georgia’s early childhood education workforce…” READ MORE
PRESS RELEASE – June 3, 2021
“Today the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (The Collaborative) announced $10.4 million in awards to support partnerships of institutions of higher education (IHEs) and states or tribal nations in transforming their early educator preparation programs…” READ MORE
2020
OP-ED – June 25, 2020
Our future depends upon caring for the early educators, The Hill
“Our nation’s economic recovery depends on strengthening an essential workforce tragically overlooked and under-appreciated for decades: the early learning and childcare educators who enable parents to work and raise healthy, successful children…” READ MORE
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
2025
June 26, 2025
Colorado Spotlight & Compensation Community of Practice Highlights
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.
May 27, 2025
Building Power for Change: A Retrospective on a Grantee’s Impact
The Collaborative’s May newsletter spotlights Raising Child Care Fund grantee partners leading community-driven change. We also hear from LaDon Love, Executive Director of SPACEs in Action, on how organizers are using storytelling to shift narratives.
April 15, 2025
The Power of Storytelling + Find us at TEACH
Our April newsletter outlines our narrative change efforts in partnership with Community Change to highlight the impact of fair compensation on parents and providers. We also preview two sessions for the upcoming 2025 National ECE Workforce Convening.
February 20, 2025
New ECE Compensation Community of Practice Launches
Our February newsletter highlights the launch of the Compensation Capacity-Building Community of Practice with CSCCE at UC Berkeley. Hear from grantees and partners on how teams will explore compensation strategies through peer learning, expert insights, and collaboration ahead of the February 27th kickoff.
January 23, 2025
Discover Upcoming Initiatives and Revisiting December Webinar
The January newsletter highlights insights from the Transforming Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation Grant report: Moving Beyond the Pilot. This edition also spotlights the voices of grantee partners, who share their experiences and reflections in short interview clips.
2024
November 21, 2024
Beyond the Pilot Webinar & Grant Report Insights
The Collaborative is thrilled to continue showcasing the Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation Grant report.The November newsletter spotlights grantee interviews and announces the upcoming Beyond the Pilot Webinar.
October 26, 2024
Innovation Grant Report + Expert Advisory Committee
The October newsletter shares Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation Grant report. It summarizes the grantee partnerships’ successes and lessons learned, along with insights into efforts to sustain the grants’ progress. The newsletter also showcases the members of the 2024-2025 Expert Advisory Committee.
September 26, 2024
Executive Director Letter & Fund Report
The September newsletter presents the 2021-2024 Fund Cycle report, detailing the impact of collective efforts and the progress made toward advancing our mission. It also includes seasonal reflections from The Collaborative’s Executive Director, Dr. Ola J. Friday.
August 28, 2024
New Compensation Grantees & UPLIFT in the Field
The Collaborative awarded an additional $2.1M in grants through our Compensation-Capacity Building Grant to Child Care Associates of Tarrant County, Texas, and the Minnesota Department of Education. Learn more about the grantee teams and their work. The newsletter also spotlights the work of UPLIFT-CA in the field, along with a recap of the UPLIFT-CA community of practice.
February 15, 2024
Advancing ECE Workforce Compensation and Equity: Interview with The Collaborative’s Director
The Collaborative is excited to share this interview with Bruno J. Navarro, of Early Learning Nation and The Collaborative’s Director. They discussed key findings from The Collaborative’s commissioned study to assess the viability of a national, competency-based certification for lead teachers working with children from birth to 8 years old in the United States.
2023
December 14, 2023
Grantee Updates from BUILD 2023
The Collaborative is excited to share updates, reflections, and photos from our IHE Partnership grantee sessions at the BUILD Initiative’s 2023 Annual Conference! We are also pleased to share updates on our new Innovation in Early Childhood Education Compensation Grantees.
November 15, 2023
The Collaborative Awards $9M for Sustainable ECE Compensation
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.
October 12, 2023
Study Finds Compensation, Equity Are Key Steps for ECE Certification
The Collaborative is pleased to share a new brief summarizing the results of a feasibility study we commissioned to assess the viability of a national lead teacher certification for the ECE workforce. We are also excited to share an update on the Mary Pauper Papers.
September 22, 2023
New Report: Strategies for Systems Change
The Collaborative is pleased to share a new report featuring the work of our IHE Partnership Grantees: Strategies for Systems Change: Lessons Learned from the Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation Grant Program.
June 22, 2023
Grantee Updates + New Learning Community Resources
The Collaborative is excited to share resources from Year 2 of the Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grantee Learning Community. We are also pleased to share that our IHE Partnership grantees will be presenting at the BUILD 2023 Conference.
March 17, 2023
Grantee Webinar + NEW RFP Due Date
Join us on April 4, 2023, for a webinar featuring The Collaborative’s Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grantees. We are also pleased to announce that the deadline to submit proposals in response to our ECE Compensation Capacity-Building Grant RFP has been extended to June 5, 2023.
February 1, 2023
ANNOUNCEMENT: Grant Opportunity from The Collaborative
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.
2022
December 13, 2022
Grantee Spotlight: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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.
November 14, 2022
Grantee Spotlight: College of Menominee Nation
The Collaborative is excited to share updates from our grantee partner College of Menominee Nation as part of our Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grant.
October 18, 2022
The Collaborative Awards University of Nebraska Teacher Preparation Grant
The Collaborative is excited to announce that the University of Nebraska has received a Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grant. We are also pleased to share that School Readiness Consulting will continue its work of planning and facilitating the learning community for the second year of the grant.
September 19, 2022
Grantee Spotlight + Conference Announcement
The Collaborative is excited to share updates from our grantee partner North Seattle College as part of our Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grant. We are also pleased to share that our Director, Dr. Ola J. Friday, will present at the Grantmakers for Education 2022 Annual Conference.
August 10, 2022
The Collaborative is excited to share the work of our grantee learning community as part of our Transforming Early Educator Lead Teacher Preparation Programs Through Multi-Partner Innovation grant.
July 5, 2022
ECE Workforce Compensation: Grantee Wins
The Collaborative is excited to share groundbreaking wins for the ECE workforce that were hard-fought by two of the Raising Child Care Fund’s grantee partners: Ohio Organizing Collaborative and Parent Voices California.
May 31, 2022
Announcement: Conference Featuring ECE Workforce Research
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative is pleased to share that the Administration for Children and Families’ 2022 National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC) will feature research from the Child Trends report, Mary Pauper: A Historical Exploration of Early Care and Education Compensation, Policy, and Solutions.
April 5, 2022
The Collaborative Awards Salish Kootenai College Teacher Preparation Grant
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative is excited to share updates on its Transforming Early Childhood Education Lead Teacher Preparation Program grant as part of our ongoing work to bolster innovative early educator preparation programs.
February 28, 2022
A new report from Child Trends commissioned by The Collaborative, Mary Pauper: A Historical Exploration of Early Care and Education Compensation, Policy, and Solutions, maps the history of systemic racism in the U.S. and how it has influenced early childhood education (ECE) policy and practice, with a particular focus on educator pay and benefits, preparation, and workforce stability.
February 14, 2022
Op-ed from Heising-Simons Action Fund, and The Collaborative Co-Chair, in L.A. Times
Program Officer at Heising-Simons Action Fund, Dr. Rebecca Gomez, co-chair of The Collaborative, asserts that a viable policy solution is poised to provide robust and sustainable relief for this essential workforce—and is an absolute prerequisite for community recovery.
February 8, 2022
NEW Research Finds That Child Mask-wearing Reduces Child Care Closures
We are pleased to share the latest research from The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University as part of four grants the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (The Collaborative) issued to organizations working towards policy and advocacy that support building a better and more equitable early childhood education system in the wake of COVID-19.
2021
December 7, 2021
School Readiness Consulting Leads Learning Community
As a component of the Transforming Early Childhood Education Lead Teacher Preparation Program grant, School Readiness Consulting (SRC) has been selected to plan and implement the learning community for grantee partners.
November 2, 2021
The Collaborative issued four grants to organizations working towards policy and advocacy that support building a better and more equitable ECE system in the wake of COVID-19. We are pleased to provide an update on the work of one such grantee, The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University.
August 8, 2021
The Collaborative COVID-19 Response: Grantee Update – Child Care Relief
Through support from The Collaborative and other funders, the national Child Care Relief public education campaign, a network of more than 20 partners coordinated by First Five Years Fund, was able to quickly raise the profile of child care as an essential service during the pandemic, educating members of Congress on the need to support early learning and care professionals who were economically devasted by the crisis.
June 24, 2021
The Collaborative COVID-19 Response: Grantee Update – Raising Child Care Fund
With a COVID-19 Response Grant from The Collaborative, RCCF is building upon the inspiring work of their current and new grantees in select states, particularly by supporting grassroots activities such as trainings, organizing public forums, and developing new partnerships in year one.
June 3, 2021
The Collaborative Awards $10.4M For ECE Teacher Preparation Programs
We are excited to announce $10.4 million in awards to support partnerships of institutes of higher education (IHEs) and states or tribal nations in transforming their early educator preparation programs. These grants will elevate the early care and education (ECE) workforce while breaking down barriers in higher education for students of color and achieving professional compensation.
May 13, 2021
The Collaborative COVID-19 Response: NEW Research Report
We are pleased to share a new research report resulting from the COVID-19 Response Grants, from Urban Institute and spearheaded by Gina Adams with Danielle Ewen of EducationCounsel.
April 5, 2021
Dr. Ola J. Friday Named as New Director of The Collaborative
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative is thrilled to announce Dr. Ola J. Friday as the inaugural Director, beginning April 5, 2021. Dr. Friday will lead The Collaborative’s efforts to help early educators achieve their full potential as professionals and to ensure that all children are prepared for success in school and life.
2020
December 3, 2020
New Research—Analysis of the Early Educator Workforce
We are pleased to launch three new research reports that provide a nationwide analysis of trends, gaps, and opportunities facing early educator preparation programs and state competency and compensation policies.
November 18, 2020
The Collaborative shares some exciting news that promises to have a significant impact for our diverse early educator workforce that continues to be disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
October 1, 2020
The Collaborative is intensifying its efforts to elevate the early childhood workforce for early educators, in particular Black, Indigenous, and Latinx educators who do not have equitable access to professional compensation, higher education and professional development. Today, we are pleased to announce that we will be awarding grants to four organizations who answer this call.
August 18, 2020
ICYMI: Our Future Depends Upon Caring For The Early Educators
A statement that was as true when it was recently published as it is today. As the country continues to struggle with tough choices and a long road to recovery, we wanted to ensure you’d seen the Collaborative’s recent op-ed in The Hill.
June 5, 2020
In Solidarity with the Fight for Equality and Justice
The Early Educator Investment Collaborative stands in solidarity with the movement for black lives and condemns the violence against those fighting for equality and justice.
2019
November 26, 2019
Grantmaking Spotlight: Stories from the field
The Collaborative recently sponsored a national convening hosted by the Alliance for Early Success with leaders in the field to discuss how to better support and strengthen the early care and education profession.
November 4, 2019
The Collaborative is working to accelerate the progress toward professionalizing the ECE workforce and ensuring every child has access to an early educator who is well-prepared and compensated.
May 30, 2019
The Collaborative Launch Announcement
We are excited to announce the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, a group of early childhood funders working as one to advance the highest standards of educator quality—and make them possible through equitable access to educator preparation, ongoing professional learning, and compensation that reflects the transformational value of early educators.
To stay updated on our latest news, sign up for our email newsletters below.