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Growing the ECD Funder Community
Insights from Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Promise Venture Studio
Funder Research
Welcome!Goals:● Reflect on field research to initiate a collaborative discussion about
how to collectively grow the community of funders in ECDNorms:● Start and end on time● Growth mindset, safe space● Engagement and interaction
○ Video enabled all the time, audio on mute when you’re not talking
○ Expect some ‘warm’ calling to maximize diverse perspectives○ Use Zoom chat to ask questions anytime
Who’s Who in the Zoom Room
1
3
Your name
Your motivations and aspirations for funding in ECD (in 30 seconds)
2 Your organization’s name
The investment mismatch
The investment mismatch - public funding
The investment mismatch - philanthropic funding
Our collective problem statement...
“How do we (current ECD funders) grow and build the capacity of the ECD
funder community?”
Executive Summary
Promise Venture Studio and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s Center for Early Learning conducted research to inform their shared objectives of recruiting more engaged Early Childhood Development (ECD) funders, investors, and philanthropists nationally and locally.
Surveys and qualitative interviews with 150+ funders led to three main insights:● Common key messages are most influential in engaging potential ECD
funders● Funders experience similar challenges investing in the ECD field and share a
vision of opportunities to overcome those obstacles● Funders express most acute needs for support at the start and end of the
funding cycle
Together, SVCF CEL and Promise surveyed the field of ECD funders to gain insight and take action
PHASE 1: MESSAGING AND MOTIVATIONS
RESEARCH
SVCF conducted an online survey and telephone interviews to identify motivations and what messaging is most persuasive to prospective and current ECD funders.
PHASE 2: SUPPORT RESEARCH
Inspired by SVCF, Promise conducted an online survey and qualitative group design sessions focused on funder support needs, challenges, and opportunities.
PHASE 3: TAKING ACTION
Leveraging the insights from their research, SVCF and Promise have come together to create resources and support programs for new and existing funders in ECD.
1 2 3
* N=88, these demographics are from the second phase of research only
Foundation Types Geographic Funding Focus
44%
23%
10%
25%
19%
17%
16%
12%
10%
4%
19%
Family Foundations
Community Foundations
Independent Foundations
Corporate Foundations
Other
Single city or county
Multi-city or county
Single state
National
Multi-state
International
Responding funders represent a diversity of foundation types and funding geographies
Funders want to maintain and increase deep levels of engagement in early childhood
want to increase their funding
Current engagement in ECD:
50%
46%
3%want to decrease their funding
want to maintain their funding
Future engagement in ECD:
59%Deep
18%Moderate
17%Slight
5%None
● Diversity, equity, and inclusion (85%)
● Social emotional learning (83%)
● Child care supply and quality (80%)
● Intergenerational anti-poverty/economic mobility (78%)
● Ages 3-5 (78%)
● Early language/literacy (77%)
● Early adversity/resilience (77%)
● Ages 0-2 (76%)
Topics of greatest interest to funders Categories of funders’ current investments
Established funders have diverse priorities and impact targets
Family/Parent Support
28%
26%
25%
23%
20%
Education
Child Development
Advocacy
Childcare
* See a complete list of interest areas surveyed in the appendix
Three consistent messages stood out as most influential in attracting current ECD funders
Top Messages that Attracted Current ECD Funders
Research proves that early childhood investments improve long-term
educational outcomes for children
Investing in early childhood improves equity and access for
underserved populations
The return on investment in early childhood is very high compared to
other social investments
1
2
3
Once established, funders are driven by four key motivations
Brain Science. The current research
on brain science was compelling and
critical to their decision-making.
Social justice. ECD as a way to
protect some of the most vulnerable
and voiceless in our society.
Overlap with other causes. ECD as a
way to address or tackle other
pressing issues, such as academic
achievement or community health.
Innovation opportunities. The lack
of early childhood systems and
attention to the field provide many
opportunities for innovation
Top Motivations for Established Funders
1
2
3
4
Let’s discuss!
● What messages and motivations from our research resonate with your experience as an investor in ECD?
● What messages and motivations (do or don’t) resonate with other funders you’ve engaged about ECD?
We need to better make the case for ECD
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
Local context matters & makes scaling difficult
Funders identified three broad themes of challenges and opportunities to overcome them
1
2
3
*The bullet points on the following 3 slides are directly from research participants.
We need to better make the case for ECD
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
Local context matters & makes scaling difficult
We need to better make the case for ECD
● Better marketing: connect ROI, stories, compelling research into well crafted campaigns.
● Build on early momentum for ECD in social innovation circles.
● Connect ECD to other problems with traction in adjacent fields, e.g. immigration, workforce, DEI.
● Collective Impact Model is effective: built case w/ memorable stats & stories paired w/ solutions.
Themes Challenges Opportunities
● New donors experience information overload and are often overwhelmed with the complexity of the issues.
● General public has limited understanding of the case for ECD & evidence base.
● It’s hard to track outcomes & impact, especially long term.
● Communication and comparison of program-level impact is difficult and there are often unrealistic expectations of outcomes.
1
We need to better make the case for ECD
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
Local context matters & makes scaling difficult
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
● Create platform to highlight most promising ventures and organizations across priority challenges and opportunities.
● Align and connect funders across areas on shared thematic interests.
● Encourage orgs working on the same issue to collaborate more frequently on best practices.
Themes Challenges Opportunities
● Early childhood issues are integrated within systemic challenges and require long-term commitment.
● Little uniformity or structure in the ECD system makes it harder to understand and measure.
● Funders are reluctant to work through unfamiliar program delivery channels (e.g. social services).
● Focus on individual investment strategies and program areas makes it hard to achieve pooled impact.
2
We need to better make the case for ECD
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
Local context matters & makes scaling difficult
Local context matters & makes scaling difficult
● Better map and understand local systems at play.
● Help defining gap areas and how to either attract new innovations or help existing players to innovate.
● Help “selling” programs to local nonprofits in position to offer them to the community.
Themes Challenges Opportunities
● Scaling with fidelity requires working in local contexts and designing programs for scale from the start.
● Finding the right ideas and connecting to community strengths.
● If there aren't existing solutions locally, we have to first "sell" programs to grantees. They have to do the heavy lifting, and some aren't conscious of the need or feel unable to tackle new programing.
3
Let’s discuss!
● Which of these three challenges and opportunities identified through our research resonate most with your experience in ECD?
● What challenges or opportunities are missing?
Funders are asking for a variety of supports across the funding cycle
● Local Funder Meetups
(75%)
● Virtual Workshops (82%)
● Index of Fundable Ventures (63%)
● Virtual & In-Person ‘Demo Days’ (75%)
● 1:1 Venture Intros & Matchmaking
(51%)
● Topical Investment Primers (70%)
● Sourcing of ventures (57%)
● Diligence (44%)
● Execution of investments (33%)
● Portfolio Support (43%)
● Impact Evaluation (60%)
● Partner with Others (73%)
Attract
Establish
Commitment
Grow
Commitment
When support is needed Type of support preferred
EC Funder Map
Funder Symposium
We are collaborating on resources to support the pressing needs of funders
Venture Index
Show+Tell Series
The field’s most comprehensive database of early childhood ventures
Virtual series showcasing the most promising innovations in ECD
The field’s most comprehensive philanthropic map of EC Care and Education investments
Hosted by SVCF
Why Invest in ECDA compelling case to potential funders on the importance of investing in early childhood
Investment Primers Introductions to key topics & resources in ECD
‘Why Invest’ FAQ Resource
Investment Primers
Venture Index
Show+Tell Series
EC Funder Map
Coming 2020
Solution Details Links
Attract
Establish
Commitment
Grow
Commitment
Family Story ProjectMultimedia project showcasing family journeys preparing their child for school
In progress
ECFC Early Childhood Funding Map
Promise ‘Why Invest in ECD’ FAQ
Promise 2-Page ECD Funder Primers
Promise ECD Venture Index
● 185+ Organization Profiles with demo videos, theories of change, supporting research
● Searchable / sortable by key work, impact outcomes, geography, org structure, & more
Show+Tell is a first-of-its-kind virtual series showcasing the most promising innovations in early childhood development with the potential for scaled impact for children facing the greatest adversities. Learn more & Register Here
2020Show+Tell 1Supporting
Parents in the Early Years
Q1
Show+Tell 2Childcare Supply & Quality
Q2
Show+Tell 3Social
Emotional Learning
Q3
Show+Tell 4Equity &
Inclusion in ECD
Q3/4
Local watch parties and gatherings will be held across the country to catalyze and build community-level momentum for innovation and impact in ECD
You’re invited: Join us for Show+Tell, a virtual innovation series for ECD funders in 2020
Show+Tell Virtual Demo Series
Let’s discuss!● Which of the outlined
strategies and solutions to better support funders are most intriguing to you?
● What additional ideas do you have for ways to increase funder engagement in ECD?
● How can SVCF-CEL, ECFC, & Promise can support best these efforts?
Contact Us
Gabe [email protected]
promisestudio.org
Michelle Sioson [email protected]
siliconvalleycf.org/cel
Appendix
Parent/child mental health 73%
Community/stakeholder engagement 72%
Early Math/STEM 69%
Policy and advocacy 68%
Developmental Screening Assessment and Referrals 67%
Data and technology 65%
Special Needs 64%
Maternal health 59%
Early childhood health and pediatrics 59%
Prenatal care/services 53%
All Responses to Broad Subject Matter Interest
DEI 85%
Social Emotional Learning 83%
Parent/caregiver education and support 83%
Child Care Supply and Quality 80%
Intergenerational anti-poverty/economic mobility 78%
Ages 3-5 78%
Early Language/Literacy 77%
Early adversity/resilience 77%
Ages 0-2 76%
Executive Function & Self Regulation 73%
EC workforce sourcing and development 73%
Funders Know the Challenges & Opportunities in ECD
We need to better make the case for ECD
Complexity & fragmentation make opportunities opaque
Local context matters & makes scaling hard
● Better marketing: connect ROI, stories, compelling research into well crafted campaigns
● There is early momentum in social innovation circles (on coasts) -- need to maintain and move inland
● Additional reports quantifying ROI / cost ● Connect ECD to other “attractive” problems in adjacent
fields, e.g. immigration, workforce, DEI ● Collective Impact Model from GLR is effective: built case
w/ shocking numbers and paired w/ solutions
Themes OpportunitiesChallenges
● Invest in data infrastructure on care landscape (+ other areas) to increase visibility on opportunities & challenges
● Align funders & connect across broader ECD ecosystem● Get nonprofit orgs working on the same issue to
collaborate more frequently on best practices● Better explain local systems at play● Leverage state-wide QRIS and other quality guides● Topical or thematic ECD groups● Have a place to highlight promising ventures.
● Help “selling” programs to local nonprofits in position to offer
● Help defining gap areas and how to either attract new innovations or help existing players to innovate
● Coordination between local school districts, funders, and Departments of Ed.
● Scaling w/ fidelity requires working in local contexts and designing programs for scale from the start
● Finding the right ideas and connecting to community strengths● If there aren't existing solutions to locally, we have to first "sell"
programs to grantees. They have to do the heavy lifting, and some aren't conscious of the need or feel unable to tackle new programing.
● Early childhood issues are integrated within systemic factors, which makes it hard to understand and address and requires long-term commitment
● Little uniformity or structure in the EC system - makes it harder to understand and measure
● Funders reluctant to work through channels they aren’t familiar with (e.g. social services)
● Everyone likes their own idea or strategy; hard to get pooled impact.
● New donors experience information overload and are often overwhelmed with the complexity of the issues
● Still basic disagreement on the case for ECD & evidence base ● Hard to track outcomes & impact, especially long term
measurement ● Over-attachment to metrics in areas that are harder to assess● Funder expectations of potential outcomes often do not match
what is feasible or realistic -- Payoff takes a long time ● Need studies to highlight high-quality programming
