Impact Story: Foundation for Child Development
The Foundation for Child Development (FCD) is a national, private philanthropy dedicated to the principle that all families should have the social and material resources to raise their children to be healthy, educated, and productive members of their communities. FCD’s mission closely aligns with McKnight’s Early Literacy goal to increase the percentage of Twin Cities students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. Co-funded by McKnight in 2012, FCD’s recent independent case study, Into the Fray: How a Funders Coalition Restored Momentum for Early Learning in Minnesota, tells the story of Minnesota philanthropic funders who built the case and mobilized constituencies for high-impact early learning investments in the state, guiding Minnesota toward federal grant awards totaling nearly $90 million for early learning. Their experience offers important national lessons for those working to advance the cause of early childhood education.
In 2010, FCD launched a PreK-3rd MAP, recognizing states, school districts, schools, and education and advocacy organizations across the United States that are “on the path” to creating a well-aligned, high-quality primary education system by their efforts to implement PreK-3rd. Minnesota efforts include McKnight’s investment in early learning, as well as the work of the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute and McKnight grantees Brooklyn Center ISD and Minneapolis Special School District.