The case for early childhood investment
The science of early childhood development
Why ERH Matters: Early Relational Health Explained (Nurture Connection)
InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development (Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University)
Invest in a Strong Start for Children: New Brain Research (The Center for High Impact Philanthropy, The University of Pennsylvania)
Part I: What is ECD? (Promise Venture Studio)
The Science of ACEs and Toxic Stress (ACEs Aware)
Understanding Brain Development in Babies and Toddlers (ZERO TO THREE)
How inequities shape early childhood outcomes
Why ERH Matters: A Mandate for Equity (Nurture Connection)
Black Child National Agenda: America Must Deliver on its Promise (Equity Research Action Coalition, UNC Frank Porter Graham Development Institute)
Families in Rural Communities Face Acute Child Care Challenges (First Five Years Fund)
How Racism Can Affect Child Development (Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University)
The economics of early childhood investment
“Big Dollars for Little Kids: Early Childhood Education” (The Chronicle of Philanthropy)
Economics & Child Care: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Go? (Child Care Aware of America; Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska)
High Return on Investment (ROI) (The Center for High Impact Philanthropy, University of Pennsylvania)
Invest in Early Childhood Development: Reduce Deficits, Strengthen the Economy (The Heckman Equation)
Key issue areas within early childhood
Maternal and child health
Starting Early Begins With… Prenatal & Maternal Health Care (Start Early)
Start Early to Support Social & Emotional Health (Start Early)
The Investor’s Case: Maternal Mental Health (Promise Venture Studio)
“Why America’s Black Mothers and Babies Are in a Life-or-Death Crisis” (New York Times Magazine)
Child care
$122 Billion: The Growing, Annual Cost of the Infant-Toddler Child Care Crisis (ReadyNation)
Mapping America’s Child Care Deserts (Center for American Progress)
The Child Care Paradox: How Child Care Providers Balance Paid and Un-Paid Caregiving (Center for the Study of Social Policy)
The Investor’s Case: Child Care Access & Quality (Promise Venture Studio)
Early education
Early Childhood Education: What Donors Need to Know (Inside Philanthropy)
Family Child Care Workforce Fact Sheet (Home Grown)
The Investor’s Case: Early Education (Promise Venture Studio)
“Why Are Our Most Important Teachers Paid the Least?” (New York Times Magazine)
Economic stability and mobility
State Policies to Reduce Disparities in Childhood Poverty: A Summary of the Evidence (Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center)
The Case for Cash: Early Investment in Moms Improves Prospects for Babies (The Bridge Project)
The 2Gen Approach (Ascend at the Aspen Institute)
Two-Generation Lens: Helping Children by Helping Families (The Center for High Impact Philanthropy)
Housing and homelessness
An Unseen Reality: Infant and Toddler Homelessness (Thrive From the Start)
Early Childhood Homelessness: An Overview and Infant & Toddler Homelessness Across 50 States: 2022-2023 (SchoolHouse Connection)
“Housing Systems Must Better Support Families with Young Children Experiencing Homelessness” (Child Trends)
Programs and policies for young children and families
What Works Clearinghouse: Preschool (PK) search results (Institute of Education Sciences)
“From Program to Place: A Community Systems Approach to Supporting Young Children and Families” (Center on Early Childhood, Stanford University)
2025 Prenatal-to-3 State Policy Roadmap (Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center)
Learn About Policy Makers Issues (National Collaborative for Infants & Toddlers)
A few ways to stay connected
Early Childhood Funders Collaborative: A network of funders collaborating to align resources and advance research, policy, and practices that improve the lives of young children and their families.
Key Players: A Wealth of Potential Partners: A non-exhaustive list of key players in the philanthropic world, government sector, and research and information arena.
Promise Venture Studio: Two newsletters sharing resources, funding opportunities, and achievements from across the early childhood field.
State & Local EC Funder Collaboratives Directory: A directory of state and local early childhood funder collaboratives across the United States.
ZERO TO THREE LEARN Conference: An annual early childhood conference where thousands of professionals from various disciplines learn, grow, and define the future of the field.
