Learn more, Invest more, Do more

Below is a list of resources and suggestions for how you can learn more, invest more and do more to strengthen our community’s early childhood education sector. This is a dynamic list that we plan to add to over time with ideas from the various On the Table MKE conversations as well as from the community. 

Please submit your suggestions to: info@greatermilwaukeefoundation.org


Learn more

Equity and early childhood education

Why does quality early childhood education matter?

Do families in Milwaukee have access to quality, affordable early childhood education?

What is the biggest challenge to ensuring families have access to quality, affordable early childhood education?

How has COVID-19 impacted early childhood education in Milwaukee and Wisconsin?  

What efforts are in place to improve access to quality, affordable early childhood education in Milwaukee and Wisconsin?


Invest more

Consider granting to the Foundation’s Early Childhood Education Fund.

This fund supports early childhood education with a focus on increasing access to quality services through capital grants and by supporting families, caretakers and educators of young children. The Foundation is using the fund to:

  • Stabilize the early childhood education sector: COVID has exacerbated existing issues and many centers are on the brink of closing. The Foundation is actively involved in limiting closures by providing flexible funds to centers throughout Milwaukee.
  • Invest in high-quality early childhood education facilities: Improve and expand existing centers, particularly to enhance infant and toddler care, so that children are in safe, nurturing environments that ignite all their senses to help them grow, learn and build their futures.
  • Invest in expanding workforce options: Support professional development opportunities to increase credentials of existing center owners and their staff so that each center is providing the best support for children in their care. Support recruitment and retention efforts, which is critical because the field has a teacher shortage.
  • Advocate for increased access: Increase financial resources into the early childhood education system and leverage partnerships with local and statewide agencies to advance changes that permanently improve access, quality and affordability for all children and their families.

Do more

Join the MKE Early Childhood Education Coalition

Engage in the work of the MKE Early Childhood Education Coalition, which is comprised of family- and center-based child care providers, organizations that support early educators and families, mental health experts, government, nonprofits and philanthropy. Its goal is to expand access to quality, affordable early childhood education for Milwaukee’s Black and Brown families. To learn more, contact Daria Hall, Milwaukee Succeeds early childhood education director, at dhall@milwaukeesucceeds.org

Volunteer

  • Employ Milwaukee: Employ Milwaukee is the local workforce development board serving Milwaukee County. Its mission is to build a strong workforce development system by planning, coordinating, collaborating and monitoring workforce initiatives with businesses, partners and community stakeholders at the local, regional and state level to ensure a skilled and productive workforce for the 21st century. To learn more, contact info@employmilwaukee.org.
  • Moving Families Forward: Moving Families Forward will host a major Family Empowerment Conference in November. Right now, the event may be held in-person. If so, they will need 10-20 vaccinated volunteers to help facilitate the event. If the event is virtual, volunteers are still needed to assist with chat rooms, social media, marketing, etc. For more information, contact Dr. Rochelle Landingham, CEO of Moving Families Forward, at rochelle@movingfamiliesforwardinc.com or (414) 998-9327.
  • Next Door Milwaukee: At Next Door Milwaukee, volunteers are some of their greatest resources! There are plenty of opportunities to support students directly in the classrooms and in libraries. You can also support special events/projects and lend a hand preparing thousands of donated books that come in every year for the Books for Kids program. To learn more, visit www.nextdoormke.org/get-involved/become-a-volunteer
  • United Community Center: The UCC has several ways you can get involved, including virtual and in-person opportunities. Volunteer opportunities already include one-time or ongoing opportunities. To sign up or get more information, visit www.unitedcc.org/get-involved/volunteer/

Catch the latest conversations from our three-part A Milwaukee for All educational series.

Equitable economic opportunity

Early childhood care and education

Reimagining philanthropy

Learn more

Visit the A Milwaukee For All resource page for ideas on how you can learn more, invest more and do more to move our community forward.