Early Childhood Grantmaking  

 LVCF’s Early Childhood Grantmaking 

LVCF has focused on supporting the Early Childhood sector beginning in 2023. Each year, nearly $200,000 in funding support is distributed to Lehigh Valley organizations that are focused on early childhood. These funds come from several different area-of-interest funds that are focused on supporting Lehigh Valley youth and families, including the Edward & Inez Donley Fund; Walter & Alma Bastian Fund; Frances L. Barnard Fund for Children; Support from Roger & Kathy Yott; Lucille F. Driver Fund; William C. Rybak Fund for Persons with Disabilities; Robert D. & Gwendolyn-Jane Romeril Campership Fund; and Janice & Paul Gross Fund.  LVCF’s Funding Priorities for the Early Childhood grantmaking cycle focused on supporting the early childcare sector (ages 0-5) through several key initiatives: 

• High-Quality Childcare Centers: Funding centers that demonstrate active efforts to improve the quality of their services, such as improving facilities, retaining staff, increasing salaries, expanding slots, and developing programs.  

• Addressing Behavioral and Mental Health Needs: Supporting programs that equip childcare workers with resources to care for children with challenging behaviors or high mental health needs, as well as providing direct care for such children.  

• Advocacy for Improved Policies: Supporting organizations that advocate for better regulations, funding, and policies for early childcare providers.  

• Additional Considerations: LVCF prioritizes funding for organizations that:  
  • Are guided by the community they serve.  
  • Are learning organizations.  
  • Serve children and families most at risk of exiting the safety net, including immigrant families, LGBTQ+ families, single guardian households, foster care children, very low-income families, children with disabilities, or families involved in the criminal justice system.  
• Evaluation Criteria  
  Applications were evaluated based on:  
  • Alignment with funding focus areas.  
  • Population served, particularly at-risk children and families. 
  • Community guidance in program implementation.
  • Provision of high-quality programs and services. 
  • Efforts towards improving regulations, funding, or policies for early childcare providers.  

The following organizations received grants in the 2023-2024 funding cycle:

Grantee	Amount
Community Services for Children	$14,000
Fine Feather Foundation Inc.	$2,500
Greater Valley YMCA	$14,000
Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers, Inc.	$14,000
Mindful Child Initiative	$5,000
Northampton Community College Foundation	$10,000
Pinebrook Family Answers	$14,000
ProJeCt of Easton, Inc.	$5,000
Red Door Early Learning Center	$5,000
Resurrected Community Development Corp	$25,000
Saucon Valley Community Center	$10,000
The Children’s Center, Volunteers of America	$20,000
Third Street Alliance for Women & Children	$25,000
Via of the Lehigh Valley	$12,000

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