The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education program is pleased to share that Practitioners’ Voice California (PVCA), housed at Tides Foundation, has granted nearly $2 million to community-based organizations across California to build up the leadership power of early childhood practitioners. PVCA is supported by a consortium of foundations, including Heising-Simons Foundation.

The term “early childhood practitioners” refers to anyone caring for children in a paid capacity––including family, friend, and neighbor providers, family child care owners, or teaching staff in family child care, community, and school settings.

Today, there are few grassroots educator groups and frontline practitioners at policy tables informing policy reform and systems change, and yet early childhood providers are shouldering daunting challenges without adequate pay, health coverage, good working conditions, or appreciation for the vital role they play in educating our youngest learners. PVCA recognizes that providers are best positioned to reimagine how early childhood systems can improve, and this funding is about centering their expertise. The following California-based organizations have been awarded two-year, flexible grants based on their direct work with practitioners that care for young children (0–5), as well as their demonstrated commitment to equity and understanding of historical and systemic barriers to opportunities:

• Black Californians United for Early Care and Education
• Bay Area Professional Child Care Network
• California Family Child Care Network
• California Domestic Workers Coalition
• Early Edge California, a project of New Venture Fund
• EveryChild California
• First 5 Shasta
• Orange County Child Care Association
• PEACH Early Childhood Higher Education Collaborative
• San Mateo County Family Child Care Organization
• Unidos ECE

In 2022, the Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education program seeded this initiative as part of its California Workforce Initiative, which seeks to elevate the value of early care and education jobs in California. Learn more about the California Workforce Initiative here.

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