The Stranahan Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on strengthening the early childhood education workforce through substantial program support. All recorded giving is directed to Third Sector New England to support the Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC), indicating a strategic interest in collective-impact efforts that recruit, train, and retain early educators rather than broad general philanthropy. Although based in Ohio, the foundation appears willing to fund regional or national intermediaries focused on early childhood workforce solutions.
The Stranahan Foundation’s recent philanthropy centers on a single theme: building and retaining the early childhood educator workforce. Its largest recorded grants all support the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, including multiple $500,000 awards to Third Sector New England Inc in Boston and a $250,000 continuation grant for the 2024-2026 collaborative. That pattern points to sustained support for intermediary-led work rather than scattered program giving. Across the grant list, the foundation backs projects that improve educator quality, training, coaching, and compensation-related infrastructure. It has funded evidence-based reflective practice video enhancement with Edvance in Modesto, technical assistance expansion with All Our Kin Inc in New Haven, and a trauma-informed preschool support pilot with the Reginald S Lourie Center for Infants and Young Children in Rockville. Other grants show interest in apprenticeship models, regional training centers, and early learning network supports. The foundation also funds a mix of program development and evaluation. Several awards explicitly support piloting, refinement, continuous improvement, or evidence-building, which suggests a preference for strengthening models before or during broader scale-up. Its record shows a national approach to early childhood education, with grantees spread across multiple states.
A major thread in the Stranahan Foundation’s portfolio is early educator workforce development. It awarded $125,000 to Early Years Inc in Chapel Hill for the development, piloting, evaluation, and refinement of an early childhood apprenticeship model framework, and $100,000 to Santa Fe Community College Foundation in Santa Fe for a competency-based early childhood teacher apprenticeship program. The foundation also supports coaching and professional learning models. It gave $150,000 to Sobrato Early Academic Language Program in Milpitas for modifications and continuous improvement tied to a full preschool professional development model, and $100,000 to Jeremiah Program in Minneapolis for strengthening educator learning and development through LENA Grow. A third area is early learning systems support. Community Coordinated Child Care of S Indiana in Evansville received $100,000 for expansion of the early learning regional training center pilot, while National Association for Family Child Care Foundation in Washington, DC received $100,000 for FCC Leadership Lab. These grants show attention to both individual educator practice and network-level infrastructure.
$4M
$124M
$9.8M
$5.5M
Most grants fall between $35K and $50K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$35K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Highly concentrated and strategic: large, repeat grants to a single intermediary focused on a specific initiative (EEIC), indicating preference for targeted, high-impact funding rather than many small or diverse grants.
Notable grantees: Third Sector New England, Inc., Early Educator Investment Collaborative (EEIC)
The typical grant size clusters tightly: p25 is $35,000, median is $35,000, and p75 is $50,000. Even so, the recent record includes several larger strategic awards at $100,000 to $500,000, showing a two-tier pattern of smaller grants alongside larger anchor commitments. The same organizations appear in multiple years, especially Third Sector New England Inc, All Our Kin Inc, Savanna Institute, Edvance, Sobrato Early Academic Language Program, Santa Fe Community College Foundation, and Community Coordinated Child Care of S Indiana. That repetition suggests recurring support rather than isolated one-time awards. Stranahan Foundation is a regular funder, and the active programs include both unsolicited and invitation-only pathways. The Early Childhood Education program and General Grant Making Program accept unsolicited letters of inquiry, while some cycles are restricted to current or recent grantees.
Grantmaking is national, with recipients in many states and all recorded grants going to U.S. organizations. Connecticut is the top state by grant count, and Ohio recipients account for 20% of grants, so the foundation gives broadly beyond its headquarters region. Named recipient cities recur in the record: Boston, Chapel Hill, New Haven, Modesto, Santa Fe, Evansville, and Milpitas. The list also includes Washington, DC, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, which shows a spread across the Northeast, South, Midwest, and West.
Its clearest pattern is early childhood educator workforce development. Recent grants support the Early Educator Investment Collaborative, apprenticeship model development, teacher coaching, reflective practice, and regional training infrastructure. The foundation also funds a small set of broader community areas through other programs, but early childhood education is the most visible focus in the grant list.
The middle of the distribution is $35,000, with p25 also at $35,000 and p75 at $50,000. The recent record also includes larger strategic grants of $100,000, $125,000, $150,000, $175,000, $250,000, and $500,000, especially in early childhood education.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Third Sector New England Inc, All Our Kin Inc, Savanna Institute, Edvance, Sobrato Early Academic Language Program, Santa Fe Community College Foundation, and Community Coordinated Child Care of S Indiana. That pattern points to recurring support rather than one-time awards only.
Yes, for some programs. The General Grant Making Program accepts a required letter of inquiry with full proposals by invitation only, and the Early Childhood Education program and Spring 2026 Proven PD and Innovation RFP accept unsolicited applications. Other pathways, such as the Early Childhood Initiative, are invitation only.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THIRD SECTOR NEW ENGLAND INC | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | 2024-2026 EARLY EDUCATOR INVESTMENT COLLABORATIVE |
| ALL OUR KIN INC | NEW HAVEN, CT | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OFFERINGS. |
| EDVANCE | MODESTO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | EVIDENCE-BASED REFLECTIVE PRACTICE VIDEO ENHANCEMENT PROJECT |
| NEW PROFIT INC | BOSTON, MA | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT, IMPROVE, AND EVALUATE INITIATIVE LEVEL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE ECSO INITIATIVE. |
| SOBRATO EARLY ACADEMIC LANGUAGE PROGRAM | MILPITAS, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR MODIFICATIONS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS RELATED TO THE FULL PRESCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL. |
| SAVANNA INSTITUTE | MADISON, WI | $149,000 | 2025 | SAVANNA INSTITUTE'S EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM |
| EARLY YEARS INC | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $125,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, PILOTING, EVALUATION, AND REFINEMENT OF ITS EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRENTICESHIP MODEL FRAMEWORK. |
| COMMUNITY COORDINATED CHILD CARE OF S INDIANA | EVANSVILLE, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE EARLY LEARNING REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER PILOT. |
| FELTON INSTITUTE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | ECE REACH |
| THE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | EMPOWERING GENERATIONAL GREATNESS: A CURRICULUM FOR BUILDING LIFELONG RESILIENCE AND FOCUS |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | FCC LEADERSHIP LAB |
| SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | SANTA FE, NM | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, PILOTING, AND EVALUATION OF A COMPETENCY-BASED, EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. |
| JEREMIAH PROGRAM | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $100,000 | 2025 | STRENGTHENING EDUCATOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LENA GROW |
| URBAN SPROUTS | UNIVERSITY CY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM |
| REGENTS UNIV OF CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $86,800 | 2025 | GROWING TRAUMA- AND RESILIENCE-INFORMED CARE LEADERS IN LAUSD EARLY EDUCATION |
| AVANCE INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $85,884 | 2025 | AVANCE QUALITY CHILD CARE MATTERS INNOVATION PROJECT |
| PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA | AMES, IA | $80,000 | 2025 | REGENERATING IOWAS COMMUNITIES THROUGH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION |
| ECDYSIS FOUNDATION | ESTELLINE, SD | $75,000 | 2025 | 1000 FARMS INITIATIVE |
| YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOC OF KALAMAZOO | KALAMAZOO, MI | $75,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TEACHER TRAINING, COACHING, AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR ITS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM. |
| FOR PROVIDERS BY PROVIDERS LOUISIANA | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $75,000 | 2025 | EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER CORPS |
| FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC | TALLAHASSEE, FL | $75,000 | 2025 | IMPLEMENTATION OF A REBOUND & RECOVERY IN HEAD START: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY FOR KINDERGARTEN READINESS AND PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY |
| KISS THE GROUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | BOSTON, MA | $73,853 | 2025 | BUILDING EVIDENCE ABOUT PATHWAYS FOR A DIVERSE AND THRIVING ECE WORKFORCE |
| ADELANTE MUJERES | FOREST GROVE, OR | $50,000 | 2025 | ADVANCING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LATINE TEACHERS. |
| YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | YWCA CULTIVATES: TEACHER RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND CERTIFICATION |
| BLACK CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE - ATLANTA INC | LAWRENCEVILLE, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT TO PILOT A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE COACHING, MENTORING, AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BLACK TEACHERS SEEKING THEIR ASSOCIATES AND BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. |
| NORTHEAST ORGANIC FARMING ASSOCIATION MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER | FLORENCE, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | FOOD ACCESS PROGRAM AND MASSACHUSETTS POLLINATOR NETWORK |
| YWCA MISSOULA | MISSOULA, ME | $35,000 | 2025 | FAMILY HOUSING CENTER ESSENTIAL STAFFING |
| TOLEDO SCIENCE CENTER | TOLEDO, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | TOLEDO TINKERS: THROUGH A CHILD'S EYES |
| FAMILY PROMISE OF GALLATIN VALLEY INC | BOZEMAN, MT | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR A FAMILY CASE MANAGER |
| GOOD GRIEF OF NORTHWEST OHIO INC | TOLEDO, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTING GRIEVING CHILDREN AND TEENS |
| FISCAL SPONSORSHIP ALLIES INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $35,000 | 2025 | SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY FARM'S HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS FOR BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS |
| HELPLINE HOUSE | BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA | $35,000 | 2025 | BUILDING A BETTER BAINBRIDGE CAMPAIGN: CONSTRUCTING A NEW, EXPANDED COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER AND FOOD BANK |
| RID-ALL FOUNDATION INC | OAKWOOD VILLAGE, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S OPERATIONS. |
| PALM BEACH COUNTY FOOD BANK INC | LAKE WORTH BEACH, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | PARTNER MARKETPLACE |
| THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL EAST JEFFERSON COUNTY CONFERENCE | PORT TOWNSEND, WA | $35,000 | 2025 | EAST JEFFERSON COUNTY CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL |
| VICTORY CENTER | TOLEDO, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | HEALING THERAPIES |
| THE CONNECTICUT AUDUBON SOCIETY INCORPORATED | FAIRFIELD, CT | $35,000 | 2025 | CREATING A PATHWAY TO STEM LEARNING AND CAREERS IN UNDERSERVED URBAN COMMUNITIES |
| HOPA MOUNTAIN INC | BOZEMAN, MT | $35,000 | 2025 | HOPA MOUNTAIN'S SCHOLARS OF PROMISE PROGRAM |
| REALIZE BRADENTON INC | BRADENTON, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | BRADENTON PUBLIC MARKET |
| TROUT UNLIMITED INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $35,000 | 2025 | UPPER RIO GRANDE COMMUNITY INITIATIVE |
| RINGLING COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN INC | SARASOTA, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | MANATEE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ASPIRING ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS |
| PROJECT ANGEL FOOD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | HOME-DELIVERED MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS FOR CRITICALLY ILL ANGELENOS |
| HORIZONS OF KENT AND QUEEN ANNES INC | CHESTERTOWN, MD | $35,000 | 2025 | HORIZONS STAFFING SUPPORT |
| KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION INC | ROYAL PALM BEACH, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION SUPPORT SERVICES |
| FOREST CONSERVANCY | CARBONDALE, CO | $35,000 | 2025 | FOREST CONSERVANCY VOLUNTEER RANGER PROGRAM |
| DAVID LAWRENCE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER INC | NAPLES, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | CHILDREN'S HOLISTIC WELLNESS PROGRAM |
| SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENTREPRENEURS INC | CALABASAS, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | SOFT LANDING MISSOULA |
| VALLEY SETTLEMENT | GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | $35,000 | 2025 | PARENT MENTOR PROGRAM |
| AVOW CARE SERVICES INCORPORATED | NAPLES, FL | $35,000 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE FOR CHRONIC AND SERIOUSLY ILL PEOPLE |
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OFFERINGS.
SUPPORT EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT, IMPROVE, AND EVALUATE INITIATIVE LEVEL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE ECSO INITIATIVE.
SUPPORT FOR MODIFICATIONS AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS RELATED TO THE FULL PRESCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODEL.
EARLY YEARS INC
$125,000SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, PILOTING, EVALUATION, AND REFINEMENT OF ITS EARLY CHILDHOOD APPRENTICESHIP MODEL FRAMEWORK.
SUPPORT FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE EARLY LEARNING REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER PILOT.
FELTON INSTITUTE
$100,000ECE REACH
EMPOWERING GENERATIONAL GREATNESS: A CURRICULUM FOR BUILDING LIFELONG RESILIENCE AND FOCUS
SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, PILOTING, AND EVALUATION OF A COMPETENCY-BASED, EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
STRENGTHENING EDUCATOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LENA GROW
REGENTS UNIV OF CALIFORNIA
$86,800GROWING TRAUMA- AND RESILIENCE-INFORMED CARE LEADERS IN LAUSD EARLY EDUCATION
REGENERATING IOWAS COMMUNITIES THROUGH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TEACHER TRAINING, COACHING, AND ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS FOR ITS EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM.
IMPLEMENTATION OF A REBOUND & RECOVERY IN HEAD START: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY FOR KINDERGARTEN READINESS AND PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$73,853BUILDING EVIDENCE ABOUT PATHWAYS FOR A DIVERSE AND THRIVING ECE WORKFORCE
ADVANCING CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR LATINE TEACHERS.
YWCA CULTIVATES: TEACHER RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND CERTIFICATION
BLACK CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE - ATLANTA INC
$50,000SUPPORT TO PILOT A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE COACHING, MENTORING, AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR BLACK TEACHERS SEEKING THEIR ASSOCIATES AND BACHELOR'S DEGREES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
FOOD ACCESS PROGRAM AND MASSACHUSETTS POLLINATOR NETWORK
TOLEDO SCIENCE CENTER
$35,000TOLEDO TINKERS: THROUGH A CHILD'S EYES
GOOD GRIEF OF NORTHWEST OHIO INC
$35,000SUPPORTING GRIEVING CHILDREN AND TEENS
SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY FARM'S HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS FOR BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS
BUILDING A BETTER BAINBRIDGE CAMPAIGN: CONSTRUCTING A NEW, EXPANDED COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER AND FOOD BANK
THE SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL EAST JEFFERSON COUNTY CONFERENCE
$35,000EAST JEFFERSON COUNTY CONFERENCE OF THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
VICTORY CENTER
$35,000HEALING THERAPIES
THE CONNECTICUT AUDUBON SOCIETY INCORPORATED
$35,000CREATING A PATHWAY TO STEM LEARNING AND CAREERS IN UNDERSERVED URBAN COMMUNITIES
REALIZE BRADENTON INC
$35,000BRADENTON PUBLIC MARKET
MANATEE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ASPIRING ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS
HOME-DELIVERED MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS FOR CRITICALLY ILL ANGELENOS
HORIZONS OF KENT AND QUEEN ANNES INC
$35,000HORIZONS STAFFING SUPPORT
KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION INC
$35,000KIDS CANCER FOUNDATION SUPPORT SERVICES
FOREST CONSERVANCY
$35,000FOREST CONSERVANCY VOLUNTEER RANGER PROGRAM
AVOW CARE SERVICES INCORPORATED
$35,000PALLIATIVE CARE FOR CHRONIC AND SERIOUSLY ILL PEOPLE