What kinds of organizations does Virginia Early Childhood Foundation fund?

It funds regional intermediaries, school systems, universities, United Ways, and licensed early care providers. Recent grantees include Thrive Birth to Five in Richmond, Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, James Madison University in Harrisonburg, and Creative Learners Academy LLC in Portsmouth.

Does Virginia Early Childhood Foundation fund only one-time grants?

No. Several recipients appear in more than one year, including Eastern Virginia Medical School, United Way Greater Charlottesville, United Way of Southwest Virginia, Thrive Birth to Five, Firstspark, Foundation First, Fairfax County Early Childhood Programs and Services, and United Way of Roanoke Valley.

What is the foundation's typical grant size?

Its grant sizes vary widely. The p25 grant is $50,000, the median is $100,000, and the p75 is $3,617,228, which shows a blend of smaller awards and large system-level grants.

Which program accepts unsolicited applications?

Pathfinders accepts unsolicited applications. It funds tuition and credentialing for early childhood professionals through community college certificates and degrees, four-year degree completion, and high school dual-enrollment pathways.

Where does Virginia Early Childhood Foundation give?

Its giving is local and entirely in Virginia. The recent grants list shows recipients in Richmond, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Abingdon, Newport News, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Alexandria, Portsmouth, Suffolk, North Dinwiddie, Lynchburg, Danville, Hopewell, Midlothian, and South Hampton Roads.

Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

Name: Virginia Early Childhood Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActiveEducation

HENRICO, VAWebsite8043588323

About Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

VECF creates results-oriented partnerships to ensure that young children are healthy and prepared for school, life and workforce success.

Focus Areas

early childhood educationchild care access and affordabilityearly educator workforce developmentregional systems coordinationscholarships for early childhood professionalspolicy and advocacy for early childhood

Who They Fund

young children / early learnerspreschool-aged childrenfamilies with young children

Funding Style

programmatic supportdirect service

About Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

Virginia Early Childhood Foundation directs very large grants into Virginia’s early childhood system, with 2025 awards that include $11,095,612 to Thrive Birth to Five in Richmond and $9,527,074 to United Way Greater Charlottesville. Its work is organized around ready regions, mixed-delivery child care, and scholarships that help early childhood professionals move into or up through the workforce. The foundation backs regional lead agencies that coordinate access, quality measurement, and family engagement, while also funding programmatic support for providers and education partners across the state. The grant list shows a consistent emphasis on building the early care and education infrastructure rather than one-off project support. Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk received $7,905,622 in 2025 and $5,468,410 in 2024, while United Way of Southwest Virginia in Abingdon received $7,399,663 in 2025 and $5,356,724 in 2024. Other large awards went to Firstspark in Newport News, Fairfax County Early Childhood Programs and Services in Fairfax, and Foundation First in Fredericksburg. The foundation also supports institutions such as James Madison University and several local intermediaries that serve children, families, and providers.

What Virginia Early Childhood Foundation Funds

A core strand of the foundation’s funding supports regional early childhood coordination. It awarded $11,095,612 to Thrive Birth to Five in Richmond for childhood and educational development, and $3,938,475 to Foundation First in Fredericksburg for the same broad purpose area. Another major theme is access to child care and school readiness through local systems. Fairfax County Early Childhood Programs and Services in Fairfax received $4,098,132, and The Campagna Center in Alexandria received $892,000, both under childhood and educational development. The foundation also funds provider-side and community-based delivery models, including $100,000 to Creative Learners Academy LLC in Portsmouth and $90,000 to The Greenhouse Day Care Center Inc in North Dinwiddie. Workforce development appears through education partners as well. James Madison University in Harrisonburg received $3,500,064, and Harrisonburg City Public Schools received $56,251, both reflecting support for the early childhood pipeline and related educational pathways.

How Virginia Early Childhood Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$57.9M

Total Assets

$17.5M

Total Revenue

$86.9M

Total Expenses

$87M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $50K and $3.6M, with a median of $100K.

25th Percentile

$50K

Median

$100K

75th Percentile

$3.6M

Geographic Reach

Local1 state funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

Leadership

KATHRYN V GLAZER

Accepts unsolicited proposals

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Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
THRIVE BIRTH TO FIVE FOUNDATION	RICHMOND, VA	$10,820,195	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY GREATER CHARLOTTESVILLE	CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	$9,242,198	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION	NORFOLK, VA	$8,393,371	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EO COMPANIES INC	ABINGDON, VA	$6,882,365	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FAIRFAX COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES	FAIRFAX, VA	$5,901,231	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FIRSTSPARK	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	$4,785,302	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION FIRST	FREDERICKSBURG, VA	$4,384,860	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CENTER FOR EARLY SUCESS	DANVILLE, VA	$4,120,838	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF VIRGINIA'S BLUE RIDGE INC	ROANOKE, VA	$3,341,453	2026	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THRIVE BIRTH TO FIVE	RICHMOND, VA	$11,095,612	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY GREATER CHARLOTTESVILLE	CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	$9,527,074	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL	NORFOLK, VA	$7,905,622	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA	ABINGDON, VA	$7,399,663	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FIRSTSPARK	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	$4,926,185	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FAIRFAX COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES	FAIRFAX, VA	$4,098,132	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION FIRST	FREDERICKSBURG, VA	$3,938,475	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF ROANOKE VALLEY	ROANOKE, VA	$3,491,985	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
HARRISONBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	HARRISONBURG, VA	$14,134	2025	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL	NORFOLK, VA	$5,468,410	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA	ABINGDON, VA	$5,356,724	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THRIVE BIRTH TO FIVE	RICHMOND, VA	$4,727,489	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY GREATER CHARLOTTESVILLE	CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA	$3,734,393	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY	HARRISONBURG, VA	$3,500,064	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FIRSTSPARK	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	$3,397,410	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF ROANOKE VALLEY	ROANOKE, VA	$2,895,490	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
HENRICO EDUCATION FOUNDATION	HENRICO, VA	$2,493,113	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION FIRST	FREDERICKSBURG, VA	$2,068,090	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FAIRFAX COUNTY EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND SERVICES	FAIRFAX, VA	$1,718,259	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA	LYNCHBURG, VA	$1,411,213	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CENTER FOR EARLY SUCESS	DANVILLE, VA	$995,244	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THE CAMPAGNA CENTER	ALEXANDRIA, VA	$892,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CREATIVE LEARNERS ACADEMY LLC	PORTSMOUTH, VA	$100,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION LEARNING ACADEMY & MIDLOTHIAN TURNPIKE	MIDLOTHIAN, VA	$100,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
YMCA RICHMOND	RICHMOND, VA	$90,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
THE GREENHOUSE DAY CARE CENTER INC	NORTH DINWIDDIE, VA	$90,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRECIOUS JEWELS LLC	SUFFOLK, VA	$90,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
DEE CARE LLC	NEWPORT NEWS, VA	$75,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FIRST CONNECTIONS FOR EARLY SUCESS	HOPEWELL, VA	$58,744	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
HARRISONBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS	HARRISONBURG, VA	$56,251	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UNITED WAY OF SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS	NORFOLK, VA	$55,662	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LIDDLE TYKES DAYCARE LLC	HILLSVILLE, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LEARNING PLAYHOUSE LIMITED	NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BONITA GOULD LLC	CHESAPEAKE, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ANGELS AT PLAY LLC	NORTH DINWIDDIE, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
NATURAL STEPS LLC	PALMYRA, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
COX-FORD ENTERPRISES LLC	PORTSMOUTH, VA	$50,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
JUST KIDS DEVELOPMENT CENTER	DANVILLE, VA	$46,980	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ROOFTOP OF VIRGINIA CAP INC	GALAX, VA	$45,520	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STEPS INC	FARMVILLE, VA	$45,000	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CRAIG COUNTY YOUTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES	NEW CASTLE, VA	$37,500	2024	CHILDHOOD/EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Recipient

Location

Amount

Year

Purpose

THRIVE BIRTH TO FIVE FOUNDATION

RICHMOND, VA

$10,820,195

2026