Background image
Document Actions

Supporting Coalition Development


The major focus of the Foundation for Early Learning is the support of local early learning coalitions committed to at least one of the Getting School Ready!® goals:

  • Supporting parents as their children’s first teachers
  • Improving access to high quality child care and preschool

By supporting projects committed to these goals, the Foundation can help more Washington children be successful in school and in life.

The Foundation focuses on supporting community coalitions because we believe it is the most effective way to build and sustain capacity for systemic improvement. Our objective is to impact all of a community’s children, not just those enrolled in independent programs.

Accordingly, the Foundation will consider support for coalitions planning to engage diverse stakeholders in a broad-based planning process to improve early learning in their community. Stakeholders usually include parents, parent groups, child care providers, educators, libraries, and others who impact children’s learning. The Foundation is a strong supporter of the Early Learning Public Library Partnership, a Washington Public Library Directors’ collaboration. All proposals and projects should include active participation of the local library. To support all children, all proposals and projects should include tribal nations. The Foundation support is intended to spark meaningful and focused development of the coalition so it has the capacity to achieve its goals for children. In general, the stages of coalition development include mobilizing individuals, generating momentum, building broad support including business, philanthropic and private support, and crafting and implementing an integrated system plan.

Community mobilization and systemic planning are not easy tasks. The job of engaging diverse stakeholders and facilitating a goal-focused process requires effective leadership, long term commitment, artful communication (including conflict resolution), and patience. Leaders must lead with respect for diversity and a focus on the community’s aspirations for children, versus the agendas of individual agencies.

An important tool for early learning systems planning is the Kids Matter Framework. This framework evolved from a broad based collaboration among early learning practitioners, parent support professionals, policy makers and others in Washington state. The document is not a plan; it is a framework or list of elements or topics that communities are asked to consider when planning an integrated system. Coalitions which are supported by the Foundation are asked to use the Kids Matter Framework in their planning process.


TYPES OF SUPPORT

The Foundation invites proposals from groups that have initiated a dialog with the Foundation and can demonstrate that their goals and intended activities are consistent with Getting School Ready!® and with the coalition development principles and framework presented in this document.2 Applicants may request grants or valuable non-cash support—or both. The Foundation is prepared to provide technical assistance that could include consulting from Foundation staff and others about organizational development, communications, planning, conceptual models, other funding opportunities, key contacts and strategic information. The Foundation will also facilitate coalition development by providing hi-tech tools such as teleconferencing, televideo, webcasts, webinars, geographic information system (GIS) mapping, and access to an online knowledge base.


DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH TO SUPPORTING COALITIONS

When people organize to improve local early learning, the process is rarely a straight, steady one. Conceptualizing coalition development discrete stages is fraught with peril. Yet, a framework, incomplete and imperfect as it may be, does provide some general milestones, and identifies helpful indicators of readiness and capability. It also helps inform how the Foundation intends to channel resources to facilitate coalitions’ effectiveness.
Generally speaking, coalition development moves along a spectrum. At one end, there are individuals or groups just beginning to organize; at the other end, there are groups that are already well-organized; they have a record of sound governance and leadership, diverse stakeholders, local financial support and a thoughtfully developed plan on the cusp of implementation.


For the emerging group, the Foundation might consider sponsoring a local summit that convenes potential leaders, or subsidizing initial organizers’ travel to early learning or coalition conference. For the more-established group, the need may be a one-time challenge grant to build more local funding. Between the two extremes, there are other stages, foreseeable and unforeseeable challenges, and a variety of needs—financial and technical. At any point (including those not specifically identified), the Foundation’s assistance could provide the spark needed to eventually increase the number of Getting School Ready!® children.


FUNDING BY STAGES

The Foundation will consider assistance to collaborations at any stage of development. In general, the Foundation will not fund more than one stage per grant. Coalitions that have been successful achieving their outcomes at one stage may apply for support for the next stage.


The Foundation expects coalitions to become locally supported. As such, the percentage of required match will rise for the higher stages. Based on local socio-economic and other factors, specific match requirements will be considered.


STAGES OF COALITION DEVELOPMENT WITH EXAMPLES OF SUPPORT

Stage of Development Grant Ranges with Examples of Supported Activities Examples of
Non-Cash Support		 Intended Outcomes
1. Initiating

Criteria:

  • As few as three individuals express interest in generating momentum to improve local early learning.


(Conversation)

 Small grants up to $2,000 that could support:
  • Retention of an independent facilitator for an initial gathering of early leaders or stakeholders to gauge alignment of interests, commitment, resources and capability.
  • Short-term consultation with consultant/expert on coalition building.
  • Travel or conference fees to learn more about early learning or systems development.
  • Provide information, support and encouragement to leaders (e.g., connection to resources such as Build/Kids Matter, Birth to Five; Smart Start, and in-state models).
  • Provide access to statewide televideo, webcasts or webinars of prominent speakers and trainings (e.g., topics such as mobilization, collaboration, planning, and governance).
  • Assessment of capability and commitment to building a coalition to enhance the community’s early learning environment.
  • Leadership thinks comprehensively about the community’s early learning environment, and is not advocating agency or program agendas.
  • Group understands benefits of collaboration.

2. Engaging

  • Engage wide community in assessing needs and building momentum.
Criteria:
  • Leadership thinks comprehensively about the community’s early learning environment, and is not advocating agency or program agendas.
  • Core group is committed to building a broad coalition of diverse constituencies.
  • Willingness to devote the time to planning and building the initiative.
  • Ability to generate some matching funds.


(Community gathering)

Up to $8,000 which could be for:

  • Publicizing and hosting a high profile public event to engage constituents, policy makers, media, funders.
  • Conduct and draft a needs assessment.
  • Retaining consultants to advise on media relations, public engagement, community organizing, meeting management and other communication needs.
  • Provide direct consultation and access to e-trainings on appropriate topics ( e.g., community mobilization, engaging media, advocacy skills).
  • Assist with web-based collaboration and planning tools such as hosting video conference calls, (desktop-to-desktop) web hubs, SharePoint, GetActive, GIS, blogs and others.
  • Broker other funding or technical assistance resources.
  • Assist with cultivating local champions.
  • Coalition has leadership in place and maintains practices that keep diverse stakeholders invested.
  • Coalition has connected with constituencies and persons of influence ( e.g., parents, providers, business, non-profits, government, schools, libraries, elected officials, media).
  • High community profile (e.g., press is engaged, elected officials actively supportive, leadership participating in statewide activities).
  • Coalition is growing.

3. Planning
Based on the needs assessment, the collaboration develops a strategic plan.

Criteria:

  • Leadership and communication processes exist; it is capable of conducting a sound and inclusive planning process.
  • Commitment to retaining an independent coordinator to facilitate and help plan.
  • Can generate some matching funds.


(Strategic planning)

 Up to $15,000 to:
  • Retain an independent coalition coordinator to convene meetings and facilitate development of strategic plan.
  • Funds for trainers or consultants on fundraising and grantwriting; marketing; graphics design; evaluation; policy promotion; or other coalition development needs.
  • Broker relationships with funders and other persons of influence.
  • Feature the collaboration in statewide communications.
  • Provide access to hi-tech learning and collaboration
  • Regular meetings to develop school readiness initiative.
  • Members involved in decision-making; communication structure exists.
  • Strategic plan with vision, mission, goals, activities and measurable outcomes for school readiness.
  • Linked to other communities and statewide infrastructure.
  • Local partners and funders are willing to fund infrastructure.

4. Implementing

Coalition is poised to take action on one or more of the strategies included in strategic plan.

Criteria:

  • Plan is completed and action steps are clear.
  • Diversified revenues.
  • Ability to sustain capacity beyond the granting period.

(Project)		 Up to $25,000 to:
  • Carry out early learning project/event.
  • Seed a local early learning fund to spur giving or temporarily fill gaps.
  • Retain independent coordinator
  • Provide access to hi-tech learning and collaboration tools described above.
  • Provide linkages or direct support with advocacy, strategic relationships, organizational development, fund development planning, fund administration and other areas.
  • Services are increasing and more children enter kindergarten ready to succeed.
  • Local partners and local funders fund collaboration.
  • Increase in other local money to support early learning.
4 Please note that the Foundation does not generally fund operating costs of existing programs or capital requests.