Building Bright Futures is excited to announce the recipients of our Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) awards for 2023. The fund supports creative solutions that will improve the well-being of children (prenatal–age 8), families, and the Vermont communities in which they live.
The 2023 VECF grantees will carry out the following projects:
- Develop a culturally-tailored career pathway for immigrants living in Southeast Vermont to enter the Early Childhood Education (ECE) field, led by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corp
- Expand family supports delivered by Dad Guild for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ populations in the greater Burlington area
- Expand access to vision and hearing screening for young children through partnerships with Family Center of Washington County and Lamoille Family Center
- Promote inclusion and shatter stereotypes through the work of Little Patakha to boost representation in children’s media
- In response to stressors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, expand professional development to early educators across the Deerfield Valley and connect families at Mount Snow Child Care with the supports and services they need
- Provide training and consultation services for Early Care and Education professionals focused on growing the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to serve and support young children and families in the Northeast Kingdom who have experienced trauma and toxic stress
Each grantee will work closely with a BBF Regional Early Childhood Council in the coming year. BBF’s 12 Regional Councils are made up of early childhood experts from their local communities. Each council identifies two key issues each year that affect children and families in the region. Vermont Early Childhood Fund grantees implement creative strategies to address these regional priorities. The selection process gave preference to projects that promote fairness and equity by incorporating anti-racism and social justice practices into their work.
These grants are made possible by funding from the Sunflower Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation. The grant period runs from Dec. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2023.
