Virginia Early Childhood Foundation

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