The Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) supports creative solutions that will improve the well-being of children from the prenatal period to age 8, their families, and the Vermont communities where they live. In late 2022, Vermont was awarded a $23 million federal grant to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, support the early childhood workforce, and […]
News from the Network is an email series from Building Bright Futures that spotlights the work of Regional Councils, updates related to early childhood data, emerging priorities from VECAP Committees, and more. This update gives a closer look at BBF’s work across the state of Vermont to improve the well-being of young children and families. […]
BBF is excited to introduce two new team members: Jenn Schollmeyer and Kitty Foster. These new hires come as we ramp up our activities under “Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s B-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5),” the three-year, $23 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) awarded to Vermont at the start of this […]
Building Bright Futures (BBF) Regional Early Childhood Councils are an essential part of the BBF statewide network infrastructure to improve the well-being of children and families. BBF facilitated a process across the 12 Regional Councils during April and May 2023 with over 130 partners participating. The Process The Regional Council priority setting process is designed […]
News from the Network is a series from Building Bright Futures that spotlights the work of Regional Councils, updates related to early childhood data, emerging priorities from VECAP Committees, and more. This update gives a closer look at BBF’s work across the state of Vermont to improve the well-being of young children and families. VECAP […]
On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, during a veto override session, Vermont’s legislature passed H.217, a historic act related to investing in the state’s early childhood system. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2023, with portions of the law being phased in over time through 2026. In this legislative recap, we look at the roles […]
We’re excited to introduce four new BBF team members: Michelle Kersey, Kate Bailey, Tanya LaChapelle, and Valerie Wood. These new hires come as we ramp up our activities under “Vermont Integration Project: Building Integration in Vermont’s B-5 Early Childhood Systems (VIP B-5),” the three-year, $23 million federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) awarded to Vermont at […]
Flor Diaz Smith’s passion for education and supporting children and communities clearly shines through from the first minute you talk with her. She is an interior designer, a parent of two, and a school board member serving the Montpelier area for the past 14 years. Diaz Smith wears a lot of hats: She serves as […]
The Child Outcomes Accountability Team (COAT) is one of seven committees monitoring progress toward Vermont’s Early Childhood Action Plan (VECAP), with a focus on Goal 1: All children have a healthy start. To support a child’s well-being, we must consider the well-being of the entire family. It is particularly challenging to support family well-being when […]
Last year, more than 600 people across Vermont took the Vermont Early Childhood Family Needs Assessment. Next week, Building Bright Futures’Families & Communities Committee is offering a virtual briefing where you can learn more about the recently released report on the results. We invite you to join us on Wednesday, May 17, from noon to […]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This short video about mental health for children and families in Vermont highlights one of the key sections from our yearly State of Vermont’s Children report. Watch the video Our report found that from 2018 to 2021, the percentage of Vermont children ages 3 to 8 with anxiety, behavioral/conduct […]
On March 27, Vermont’s Early Childhood State Advisory Council (SAC) gathered in person for the first time since 2019 to build relationships among members and deepen our understanding of the SAC’s charge and SAC members’ roles. At the meeting, we also marked several transitions in membership. Ilisa Stalberg of the Vermont Department of Health took […]