Forsyth County NC Pre-K Program (provider funding/slots)
Who can apply: Eligible four-year-old children in Forsyth County.
To support high-quality early childhood services and help children in Forsyth County arrive at kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed.
Smart Start of Forsyth County concentrates its grantmaking on early childhood services that help children in Forsyth County arrive at kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed. The largest recent grants go to local public schools and early childhood providers, including Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, Family Services Inc, and Work Family Resource Center, which shows a mix of system-level support and direct service funding. Its recent awards also reach childcare centers and community organizations serving preschool-aged children across Winston-Salem, Walkertown, Kernersville, and Lewisville. The foundation’s program areas point to a clear local strategy: early childhood education, child care provider support, family engagement, developmental screening, early intervention, and school readiness. Several of its programs are built around provider capacity and access, including preschool-related scholarships, model cohort classrooms, and local administration of the NC Tri-Share childcare cost-sharing approach. The grant record shows repeated support for the same Forsyth County organizations across multiple years, suggesting ongoing investment rather than one-time awards. Leadership is listed under Dr Louis Finney, and the foundation operates with a local geographic scope.
Early childhood education is the center of Smart Start of Forsyth County’s funding. It gave $1,844,700 to Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools for NCPK CCS, and later awarded $1,833,733 to the same school system, showing how closely it works with local public education on pre-K access and coordination. Childcare provider support is another visible thread. The foundation awarded $467,299 to North Point Academy for NCPK CCS and $333,239 to Church Child Care Center for the same purpose, linking funding to childcare capacity in Forsyth County. Family support appears in awards such as $583,209 to Family Services Inc and $489,568 to Work Family Resource Center. Those grants fit its stated emphasis on family engagement and parenting programs. The foundation also backs school readiness through grants to Bethlehem Community Center Inc and IMPRINTS Cares, both of which appear repeatedly in the recent grant list.
Smart Start of Forsyth County’s typical grant size is $19,845 at the 25th percentile, $49,430 at the median, and $142,478 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list shows a wide spread from small scholarship-style awards to multi-hundred-thousand-dollar program grants, with several organizations receiving support in more than one year. That repeat pattern is especially clear among local schools, childcare providers, and family-service organizations, indicating ongoing program support rather than isolated awards. The foundation is place-based in Forsyth County and funds organizations directly; the file also indicates it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Unsolicited application details are not shown in the data.
$7M
$93K
$10.8M
$10.7M
Most grants fall between $20K and $142K, with a median of $49K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$49K
75th Percentile
$142K
Dr Louis Finney
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local, with 94% of grants going to recipients in North Carolina and all recorded recipient-country activity in the US. Winston-Salem accounts for the bulk of named recipients, including Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools, Family Services Inc, Work Family Resource Center, Bethlehem Community Center Inc, and IMPRINTS Cares. Other Forsyth County cities and towns appear as well, including Walkertown, Kernersville, and Lewisville. The recipient pattern matches the foundation’s county-focused mission rather than a broad regional or national footprint.
It funds early childhood services in Forsyth County, including early childhood education, childcare provider support, family support and parenting programs, child health and developmental screening, early intervention, and school readiness. The program list also includes preschool scholarships, model classrooms, and local support for NC Tri-Share childcare cost sharing.
The typical grant size is $19,845 at the 25th percentile, $49,430 at the median, and $142,478 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants range from $1,000 scholarships to multi-hundred-thousand-dollar awards for local program support.
Yes. The geographic scope is local, and 94% of grants go to recipients in North Carolina. The recent grants are concentrated in Forsyth County communities such as Winston-Salem, Walkertown, Kernersville, and Lewisville.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years in the recent grants list, including Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools, Family Services Inc, Work Family Resource Center, Bethlehem Community Center Inc, IMPRINTS Cares, North Point Academy, and Church Child Care Center.
No. The foundation’s profile indicates that it funds organizations rather than individuals, and its active programs are structured around providers, schools, and community partners in Forsyth County.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Smart Start of Forsyth County that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligible four-year-old children in Forsyth County.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WinstonSalem Forsyth County Schools | Winston Salem, NC | $1,670,049 | 2026 | — |
| Family Services Head Start | Winston Salem, NC | $786,972 | 2026 | — |
| Work Family Resource Center | Winston Salem, NC | $429,251 | 2026 | — |
| North Point Academy | Winston Salem, NC | $388,804 | 2026 | — |
| Bethlehem Community Center Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $335,771 | 2026 | — |
| Childcare Network Lewisville | Lewisville, NC | $297,502 | 2026 | — |
| Church Child Care Plus | Walkertown, NC | $269,511 | 2026 | — |
| IMPRINTS Cares | Winston Salem, NC | $234,165 | 2026 | — |
| Child Care Network Reynolds Road | Winston Salem, NC | $216,053 | 2026 | — |
| La Petite Academy Inc | Chicago, IL | $214,642 | 2026 | — |
| June Miller dba | Winston Salem, NC | $191,867 | 2026 | — |
| Oak Summit Learning Academy LLC | Winston Salem, NC | $164,153 | 2026 | — |
| Quality Education Institute Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $143,630 | 2026 | — |
| First Baptist Child Development Center | Kernersville, NC | $134,116 | 2026 | — |
| TLC The Learning Academy | Winston Salem, NC | $126,850 | 2026 | — |
| The Childrens Courtyard Inc | Kernersville, NC | $113,017 | 2026 | — |
| The Sunshine House Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $99,025 | 2026 | — |
| Todays Child Learning Center | Winston Salem, NC | $89,559 | 2026 | — |
| Forsyth Futures | Winston Salem, NC | $69,917 | 2026 | — |
| Childtime Childcare Inc | Chicago, IL | $69,500 | 2026 | — |
| Centers for Exceptional Children Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $67,356 | 2026 | — |
| The Parenting Path | Winston Salem, NC | $67,000 | 2026 | — |
| Waughtown Kids R Us | Winston Salem, NC | $59,805 | 2026 | — |
| First Step Preschool | Winston Salem, NC | $59,736 | 2026 | — |
| A Childs World Downtown | Winston Salem, NC | $46,586 | 2026 | — |
| Kidz Zone Learning Center LLC | Winston Salem, NC | $42,729 | 2026 | — |
| A Childs World Hartman Plaza | Winston Salem, NC | $40,885 | 2026 | — |
| Step by Step Day Care Center | Winston Salem, NC | $38,490 | 2026 | — |
| Childcare Network Kernersville | Kernersville, NC | $37,351 | 2026 | — |
| Church Child Care Center | Walkerton, NC | $34,564 | 2026 | — |
| Discovering Our World Child Development Center LLC | Winston Salem, NC | $29,786 | 2026 | — |
| ACWLC II Inc | Clemmons, NC | $27,890 | 2026 | — |
| Rozi Inc dba Clemmons Learning Center | Winston Salem, NC | $26,600 | 2026 | — |
| Foundations Early Learning Center | Winston Salem, NC | $26,560 | 2026 | — |
| Ephesus Learning Center | Winston Salem, NC | $26,394 | 2026 | — |
| Mount Zion Baptist Church | Winston Salem, NC | $25,518 | 2026 | — |
| Phoinece Green dba Little Gifts Learning | Winston Salem, NC | $23,536 | 2026 | — |
| Lollipop Stop Child Development Center LLC | Winston Salem, NC | $22,911 | 2026 | — |
| Impact Prepatory Christian Academy | Clemmons, NC | $19,116 | 2026 | — |
| Victorias Academy dba Carver Educational & Development Ctr | Winston Salem, NC | $17,312 | 2026 | — |
| Bailey Preschool | Winston Salem, NC | $16,209 | 2026 | — |
| The Learning Place CDC Inc | Winston Salem, NC | $16,199 | 2026 | — |
| A Better World Learning Center | Winston Salem, NC | $16,027 | 2026 | — |
| Little Ones Heaven | Winston Salem, NC | $15,243 | 2026 | — |
| Little Red Schoolhouse | Winston Salem, NC | $14,191 | 2026 | — |
| Tonyas Tiny Tots | Winston Salem, NC | $13,720 | 2026 | — |
| James A Coleman Learning Day Care | Winston Salem, NC | $13,192 | 2026 | — |
| A Circle of Life Preschool | Winston Salem, NC | $12,935 | 2026 | — |
| Lillys Network | Winston Salem, NC | $11,912 | 2026 | — |
| Holy Cross Child Development Center | Kernersville, NC | $11,013 | 2026 | — |
WinstonSalem Forsyth County Schools
$1,670,049North Point Academy
$388,804Bethlehem Community Center Inc
$335,771Childcare Network Lewisville
$297,502Church Child Care Plus
$269,511Child Care Network Reynolds Road
$216,053La Petite Academy Inc
$214,642June Miller dba
$191,867Oak Summit Learning Academy LLC
$164,153Quality Education Institute Inc
$143,630First Baptist Child Development Center
$134,116TLC The Learning Academy
$126,850The Childrens Courtyard Inc
$113,017The Sunshine House Inc
$99,025Todays Child Learning Center
$89,559Forsyth Futures
$69,917Childtime Childcare Inc
$69,500Waughtown Kids R Us
$59,805First Step Preschool
$59,736A Childs World Downtown
$46,586Kidz Zone Learning Center LLC
$42,729A Childs World Hartman Plaza
$40,885Step by Step Day Care Center
$38,490Childcare Network Kernersville
$37,351Church Child Care Center
$34,564Discovering Our World Child Development Center LLC
$29,786ACWLC II Inc
$27,890Rozi Inc dba Clemmons Learning Center
$26,600Foundations Early Learning Center
$26,560Ephesus Learning Center
$26,394Mount Zion Baptist Church
$25,518Phoinece Green dba Little Gifts Learning
$23,536Lollipop Stop Child Development Center LLC
$22,911Impact Prepatory Christian Academy
$19,116Victorias Academy dba Carver Educational & Development Ctr
$17,312Bailey Preschool
$16,209The Learning Place CDC Inc
$16,199A Better World Learning Center
$16,027Little Ones Heaven
$15,243Little Red Schoolhouse
$14,191Tonyas Tiny Tots
$13,720James A Coleman Learning Day Care
$13,192A Circle of Life Preschool
$12,935Lillys Network
$11,912Holy Cross Child Development Center
$11,013