Grants for Early Childhood Education
Learn about grants for early education by browsing our curated list of top funders below. Members can also research early education funding opportunities using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.
Philanthropy trends in early childhood education
Research shows that investing in quality early childhood programs, particularly for at-risk children and girls, delivers some of the highest returns on investment. These funds work to improve education, health, social, and economic outcomes, as well as addressing increased productivity and reduced levels of social spending.
When compared to other OECD countries, the United States spends a miniscule amount (about one-quarter) on programs and systems that support the development of children from birth to five. Some estimates suggest that roughly 10% of all foundation education funding, not including higher ed, is dedicated to early learning, a small share given its importance. While philanthropy cannot replace the need for government action, it can help to spur investment through changes to early childcare and education systems and policies.
Some foundations, like the Pritzker Children’s Initiative, have spearheaded philanthropic efforts for early childhood learning and development, dedicating significant resources to local and state efforts designed to implement system-wide improvements like early prenatal screenings and early development assessments. Prominent national funders include Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
Another giving strategy commonly centers on funding kindergarten readiness. While this approach is not necessarily distinct from investing in early childhood, it often focuses on replicating programs — including literacy programs, “parent and me” programs and other initiatives — that promote parents as a child’s first teacher. Prominent funders include Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation, The William Penn Foundation, Pew Charitable Trust and The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.
Several philanthropists support early childhood nonprofits at the local level; however, a number of large national funders conduct related work in this space, which includes the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund.
Foundations for Early Childhood
AMERICAN LEGION CHILD WELFARE FOUNDATION
This funder supports efforts to disseminate useful information about health, social-emotional development, education and safety.
PAUL M. ANGELL FOUNDATION
Angell is interested in early intervention programs for low-income, disadvantaged, minority youth, prioritizing “infant mental health & attachment” and “cognitive and non-cognitive development.”
ATLAS FAMILY FOUNDATION
This family foundation funds direct services, interventions, educational programs, policy and advocacy for expecting mothers and infants up to three years old in Southern California.
BAINUM FAMILY FOUNDATION
Bainum invests in “children’s healthy development and learning from birth to age 3.” Giving overlaps with the foundation’s health and housing initiatives.
BAY AND PAUL FOUNDATIONS
Funding for Pre-K-12 education stems from the foundations’ transformative preK-12 learning and arts and humanities education programs.
BEZOS DAY ONE FUND
The Day One Academies Fund is a structured initiative to create and operate “a network of tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschools in underserved communities.”
BEZOS FAMILY FOUNDATION
Bezos’s areas of interest include research on teacher preparation and development, school environment and quality and the systemic improvement of education systems.
BOHEMIAN FOUNDATION
A portion of Bohemian’s education grantmaking supports early childhood programs, especially in the arts.
LOUIS L. BORICK FOUNDATION
This funder’s early childhood education grants “support nonprofit organizations and collaborative initiatives working to strengthen families, support parents as their child’s first teacher, and increase access to high quality early learning.”
BRADY EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Brady’s grants support educational research and program evaluations concerned with understanding and eliminating achievement gaps in early childhood and K-12 education.
BROWN RUDNICK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
Brown Rudnick’s community and relationship grants aim to help frontline educators to “foster connections, encourage activities and unleash countless contributions to improve inner-city education,” including early childhood initiatives.
BUFFETT EARLY CHILDHOOD FUND
Buffett supports practice, policy and research aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk children in the U.S. In addition to investing in national programs, the fund supports organizations in Nebraska, where it is based.
LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR AMERICA’S LIBRARIES
is a restricted fund of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, and is solely focused on grants to ECE and K-12 school-based libraries.
CAPLAN FOUNDATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
This foundation supports research and “development projects” with the potential to improve the lives of young children in the U.S.
ANNIE E. CASEY FOUNDATION
Casey focuses on developing policy to support the wellbeing of vulnerable children and families.
CATHAY BANK FOUNDATION
Grantmaking funds general ECE programs as well as special education in areas where the foundation has a corporate presence.
DANIELS FUND
Working in Colorado and Wyoming, Daniels’ early childhood education program aims to provide safe and nurturing experiences that lead to kindergarten readiness. Grants support teacher development, program improvement and parent education initiatives.
DEKKO FOUNDATION
Dekko’s early childhood iniitiaves focus on parent support and teacher development. The foundation’s geographic restrictions limit its funding mainly to Indiana, but it also gives in Alabama, Iowa, Florida, and Minnesota.
FRANCIS R. DEWING FOUNDATION
This funder seeks to support “new, untried or unusual educational organizations or institutions which endeavor to introduce new educational methods.”
DONLEY FOUNDATION
Donley awards grants to high-quality childcare programs, preschools, parent and teacher education programs, socio-emotional learning initiatives and early childhood programming at public libraries. It gives in select areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
ECHIDNA GIVING
Echidna invests in early childhood education that centers on girls’ participation in “quality, gender-sensitive” programs.
ECOLAB FOUNDATION
Ecolab’s education grants focus on environmental and conservation education. Minnesota is the main site of this funder’s giving.
EINHORN COLLABORATIVE
Einhorn’s early childhood focus in support for parent-child interactions and early learning opportunity.
ENTERGY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
This funder’s work in early childhood prioritizes at-risk children and low-income communities in areas where the foundation’s parent company operates.
FEMSA FOUNDATION
Femsa supports projects that promote strong early childhood development throughout Latin America, particularly in terms of “physical, cognitive, linguistic and socio-emotional development.”
MAX AND MARJORIE FISHER FOUNDATION
This foundation supports high-quality early childhood programs aimed at improving school readiness and reading proficiency, as well as arts education and enrichment programs for young children.
FOUNDATION FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT
This funder supports research, policy and advocacy in the areas of early childhood education, care and development. Its Young Scholars Program supports the work of early career researchers.
CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION
Working in Arkansas and theroughout the U.S., this foundation prioritizes at-risk children and families.
IRVING HARRIS FOUNDATION
This funder’s early childhood grants focus on thealth and emotional well-being of infants and young children.
BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
Gates’s Early Learning Solutions subprogram works nationally to improve “access to high-quality, affordable, personalized early learning opportunities.” Related grantmaking stems from the foundation’s Maternal, Infant & Child Health program.
HASBRO CHILDREN’S FUND
This funder supports children’s education, health and opportunity in the areas where it operates in the U.S. and abroad.
HEARST FOUNDATIONS
The Hearst Foundations’ mission is to “build healthy, productive, and inspiring lives.” A small portion of its grants support early childhood education.
HEISING-SIMONS FOUNDATION
This foundation’s education program seeks to “facilitate the creation and strengthening of early childhood systems necessary for children from low-income families and children of color to reach their full potential.”
HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION
Helios mainly gives for K-12 education in Arizona and Florida, but a few of its grants support early literacy initiatives.
JOYCE FOUNDATION
Joyce makes grants for early childhood via its Education & Economic Mobility program, which seeks to eliminate “income and race disparities in college and career success through equitable access to high-quality education and jobs.”
W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION
Kellogg’s Thriving Children program invests in high quality early childhood education for vulnerable children. Grants emphasize community programs that “are rooted in a community’s culture and language,” and that foster parent involvement in education.
CHARLES LAFITTE FOUNDATION
Early childhood education is a smaller area of funding for Lafitte; a handful of small community preschools and services providers have received grants.
LEGO FOUNDATION
Based in Denmark, the Lego Foundation supports research and initiatives for early childhood and K-12 education. Grantmaking is global in scope.
LIBERTY MUTUAL FOUNDATION
This corporate foundation’s early childhood philanthropy pursues the goal of increasing access to quality pre-k programs and “helping neighborhood-based centers compete for city funding and national accreditation.”
LILLY ENDOWMENT
The Lilly Endowment names early childhood education and services in the state of Indiana as a main focus of its education and youth funding program.
MCCALL KULAK FAMILY FOUNDATION
This funder’s areas of focus include alternative models of teaching, the holistic development of children, the Montessori method of instruction and increasing access to quality early childhood programs.
WILLIAM G. MCGOWAN FOUNDATION
This funder prioritizes “early childhood education programs that provide education, academic enrichment, healthy nutrition, and physical fitness for children 0–5,”
MORRISON & FOERSTER FOUNDATION
Morrison & Foerster names support for disadvantaged youth as one of its core funding areas. Tax filings suggest interest in autism, special education and early literacy.
NEW PROFIT
Recent grantmaking has focused on organizations and initiatives that improve quality of teaching and other school-level variables by incorporating research-based best practices at schools in urban and low-income areas.
NEW VENTURE FUND
It supports efforts for early childhood education, literacy, teacher training and support, and pedagogical reform.
NORDSON FOUNDATION
The Nordson Foundation supports early childhood development and education initiatives in the regions where it has a corporate presence.
ORGANIZATION FOR AUTISM RESEARCH
OAR’s education grantmaking focuses on research aimed at improving the educational experiences of autistic students from early childhood through 12th grade.
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS
Open Society’s education giving mainly supports higher education, but grants have gone to educational programs for young children, targeting underserved communities and vulnerable families.
OPUS FOUNDATION
Early childhood education broadly funds programs that “provide high-quality experiences for preschool-age children, enhancing kindergarten readiness.”
OVERDECK FAMILY FOUNDATION
This foundation’s Early Impact funding aims to help “all children enter kindergarten with the skills they need to unlock their potential.” Interests include programs that help parents and caregivers engage with children in evidence-based educational practices and enrichments.
DAVID AND LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION
Packard’s Children and Families program “supports partners who are working to ensure that the health care, child care, and financial supports systems that serve moms, pregnant people, and families with young children are stronger, better connected, and equitable.”
PITNEY BOWES
Early childhood education funding focuses on pre-literacy skills and parent engagement in geographic areas where the foundation’s parent company operates.
PNC FOUNDATION
This foundation’s Grow UpGreat program supports “innovative opportunities that assist families, educators and community partners to enhance children’s learning and development.”
PYRAMID PEAK FOUNDATION
The Pyramid Peak Foundation makes community development grants to support organizations in the greater Memphis, Tennessee area. It also supports K-12 education and early childhood development groups.
ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Robbins Family Foundation appears to prioritize organizations and schools that aim to improve educational outcomes for underserved children. Charters schools are a strong focus.
JOSEPH AND FLORENCE ROBLEE FOUNDATION
Grantmaking focuses on underserved and marginalized communities, collaborative initiatives, and advocacy for two-generational approaches that support parents and their young children.
SC JOHNSON
This funder gives broadly via its A World With More Opportunity giving program.
SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT
This supports empirical research on child development from birth through adolescence. Awards and fellowships mainly go to individual scholars working in relevant disciplines at research universities and institutes.
W. CLEMENT AND JESSIE V. STONE FOUNDATION
The Stone Foundation’s early childhood development grantmaking program supports the development of a comprehensive and integrated childcare and early childhood education system.
GEORGE B. STORER FOUNDATION
This funder’s early childhood education program invests in teacher development and the sharing of best practices
EMILY HALL TREMAINE FOUNDATION
This foundation supports educational programs and advocacy for children with learning differences.
THE CHAN ZUCKERBERG INITIATIVE
While early childhood education is not a primary focus of the education initiative, funding has supported the development of an early childhood program at the Primary School, which runs schools in East Palo Alto and East Bay in California.
Additional Resources
Early Childhood Funders Collaborative: the largest funder collaborative in the space, BUILD initiative, which operates in eight states, offers strategy, technical assistance, professional development and a national learning community focused on early childhood policies and systems.
