The Kresge Foundation will make $3 million available over three years for grants to organizations providing a range of wraparound services – from healthy eating to arts and cultural programming – to early childhood centers across Detroit. This is part of The Kresge Foundation’s $25 million commitment to support the implementation of the Hope Starts Here framework, a community framework developed in partnership with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to improve early childhood outcomes in Detroit.

“The Hope Starts Here process engaged more than 18,000 Detroiters – not to mention experts and stakeholders – in creating the framework,” said  Kresge Foundation President Rip Rapson. “A central directive that came out of that process is that we simply must improve the overall quality of early childhood programs. This is one way to do that.”

“This is one more piece of Hope Starts Here’s broad effort to change the culture and reality of the early childhood systems in Detroit. We are building momentum,” said Kresge Foundation Detroit Program Managing Director Wendy Jackson.

Kresge’s new grant opportunity supports organizations that supply wraparound services to early childhood centers. This opportunity invites organizations that support early childhood centers to integrate the educational experience of children ages 0-5 years, with a range of services that support physical and emotional development, healthy living habits and arts-and-culture-infused learning, among others.

Individual organizations applying for funding could receive up to $300,000 over three years, beginning in January 2019. Funding is open to nonprofit organizations or organizations operating under a college or university that deliver programming through formal, licensed early childhood centers. To be eligible, organizations must operate primarily in the city of Detroit and must have two years’ operating experience.

Organizations can use their grants in many ways, including to cover staff costs, transportation for staff and participants, facilities renovations and parent engagement.

Resources

Here are links to application guidelines and to Kresge’s online FLUXX system, through which applications must be made. The application period ends on August 14.

Open Office Hours

Kresge will hold open office hours from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at the Detroit Center for Design and Technology (4219 Woodward). Kresge welcomes any potential applicants to attend and bring questions about the application; no RSVPs are needed to attend the office hours. Kresge will announce awardees in November.

Related Skillman Initiative

Organizations seeking funding for programs supporting children ages 8-18 years can consider the Skillman Foundation’s recent call for collaboration for youth development programs. See Skillman’s website here for details.