McKnight Foundation Extends Partnership with Initiative Foundations
to Support Early Childhood Initiative

The McKnight Foundation awarded the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations a $3-million, three-year grant to expand the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative, "A Campaign for Our Youngest Children." Over the course of the grant, the foundations will establish an additional 24 early childhood coalitions, bringing the total to 60 statewide.

In 2003, the MIFs launched the initiative with the support of an initial grant from the McKnight Foundation. Since then, 36 grassroots early childhood coalitions have been developed, comprising over 100 communities and encompassing 32 of the 80 counties in Greater Minnesota.

"Through our grassroots organizing, we are witnessing a growing number of business and community leaders who are serving as champions for this cause," said Lynn Haglin, vice president/KIDS PLUS director for the Northland Foundation. "Local citizens from all sectors of community are working together to make positive change in relation to early care and education. They are initiating local action plans to ensure young children get the care, support and education they need to succeed in school and in life."

More than 150 projects and programs have already been implemented as an outgrowth of coalition work in early childhood communities throughout the state. Resources from the McKnight Foundation will help engage more communities throughout Minnesota in creating local citizen-based plans to strengthen resources for young children and their families. The process will begin with a new round of coalition communities in early 2006.

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