PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Awards Another Round of $3 Million
PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Awards Another Round of $3 Million
PRESS RELEASE
PDF version
For more information, contact:
Maggie Koller (she/her)
Communications Manager
(309) 233-0434
mkoller@birthtofiveil.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2025
BIRTH TO FIVE ILLINOIS AWARDS ANOTHER ROUND OF $3 MILLION
Continued Local Investment in Early Childhood Collaborations
Birth to Five Illinois, a Statewide Early Childhood Regional and Community System, has awarded an additional $3,075,000 to support both existing and new Local Early Childhood Collaborations across the State. This round of funding marks over $9.3 million invested in local Early Childhood systems building efforts over the past three years. See the new animation video highlighting this investment.
With funding made possible by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), Birth to Five Illinois awarded $3 million in Subcontracts to 40 established Local Early Childhood Collaborations to complete activities such as distributing newborn kits, coordinating developmental screening events with community partners, and facilitating opportunities for caregiver-led outreach strategies.
For some subcontract recipients, this represents a third year of financial support from the organization. Cicely Fleming, Director for Birth to Five Illinois, said, “We strongly believe providing sustained funding for local groups already working to improve Early Childhood systems and services will positively impact the communities involved, and by extension the entire State.”
Additionally, Birth to Five Illinois awarded six $12,500 Planning Grants to groups working on creating new Local Early Childhood Collaborations. These grants, funded by the Early Childhood Governance and Finance Project, will reach eight counties and help these communities advance their work to coordinate and improve experiences for children and families.
“Our role is to shine a light on the incredible work being done in every corner of Illinois to make this the best place in the nation to raise young children,” said Birth to Five Illinois’ Grants and Relationship Manager, Angela Hubbard. “Through our grants and subcontracts, we aim to show that local investment results in strengthened community commitment and innovative solutions to challenges.”
Birth to Five Illinois FY25 Subcontractors
Addison Partners for Play, Learning, and Education: $58,500.00
ARELI (Altgeld-Riverdale Early Learning Initiative): $47,141.00
Boone County Maternal Child Health (MCH) Advisory Council: $90,228.00
Champaign County Home Visiting Consortium: $100,000.00
Clay County 0-5 Advisory Board: $42,075.00
Collaboration for Early Childhood Care and Education: $100,000.00
Connect Home Visiting: $100,000.00
Crawford County Kids Association: $75,000.00
DeKalb County Collaborative for Young Children: $87,797.00
Early Childhood Alliance of Niles Township: $100,000.00
Early Childhood Coalition of the Illinois Quad City Area: $94,478.00
Early Childhood Forum of Central Illinois: $99,493.00
Carbondale Community Cabinet for Children and Youth: $52,700.00
Effingham County Early Childhood Coalition: $42,075.00
EPEL (Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning): $100,000.00
Evanston Early Childhood Council: $84,694.00
Glenbard Early Childhood Collaborative: $97,356.00
Greater East St. Louis Early Learning Partnership: $90,228.00
Greene County Health Department-Greene County Collaboration: $52,000.00
Madison County Alliance for Children & Families: $83,604.00
Margaret F. Lee Violence Prevention/Intervention Collaboration: $54,910.00
Menard County Family Collaborative: $62,000.00
Monroe Randolph Partnership for Children and Families: $71,000.00
North Chicago Early Childhood Collaboration: $75,000.00
North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration: $100,000.00
Northwest Illinois Early Childhood Consortium: $44,309.00
Plano Area Alliance Supporting Student Success (PAASSS): $78,000.00
Ready. Set. Grow.: $100,000.00
Ready to Learn: $58,055.00
ROE #13 Early Childhood Collaboration: $52,700.00
ROE26 IRIS Community Collaboration: $52,700.00
Sauk Valley STARS: $91,137.00
Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families: $94,478.00
Southernmost Illinois Early Learning Special Education Collaborative: $50,210.00
SPARK Early Childhood Collaboration: $59,900.00
Success By 6 - Kankakee & Iroquois Counties: $45,000.00
The Village Early Childhood Collaboration: $90,288.00
Villa Park Area Early Childhood Collaborative: $52,700.00
WeGo Together for Kids: $75,500.00
Willowbrook Corner Coalition: $90,228.00
Birth to Five Illinois FY25 Planning Grant Recipients
Bureau Henry Stark Early Childhood Collaboration - $12,500 (Bureau, Henry & Stark Counties)
Coles County Child Care Collaboration - $12,500 (Coles County)
LEAD Chicago - $12,500 (Chicago, North Cook County)
Resource Hub Collaboration - $12,500 (South Cook County, Will County)
Saline County Early Childhood Collaboration - $12,500 (Saline County)
Scott County Collaborative - $12,500 (Scott County)
Learn more at: www.birthtofiveil.com/funding
###
About Birth to Five Illinois
Birth to Five Illinois’ mission is to create a statewide regional infrastructure that will amplify input from communities in the development of policies and funding priorities. We support the mobilization of communities to build and sustain equitable access to inclusive, high-quality early childhood services for all children and families in the state of Illinois.