The Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative (ECEFC) is proud to announce our 2026 Early Care and Education (ECE) Grantee Partners
This year, ECEFC is investing $305,000 across 11 organizations serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. These funds support advocacy organizations, grassroots partnerships, and coalition models working to strengthen the early childhood ecosystem across our region.
Meet Our 2026 Grantee Partners:
Together, this cohort reflects a powerful commitment to:
- Advancing pay equity and professional respect for early childhood educators
- Strengthening family child care and workforce sustainability
- Expanding access to affordable, high-quality care
- Closing opportunity gaps for our region’s youngest and most vulnerable learners
A Regional Investment in Equity
2026 Regional Allocations:
- Washington, D.C.: $175,000 across six organizations
- Maryland: $100,000 across four organizations
- Virginia: $30,000 supporting one statewide advocacy organization
One new organization joins our portfolio this year — Southeast Children’s Fund — expanding our reach and deepening our investment in leadership development and workforce sustainability.
Who This Cohort Represents
The 2026 grantee cohort reflects ECEFC’s commitment to equitable, community-rooted leadership:
- 64% of funded organizations are led by a person of color
- 82% are led by a woman
- On average, 67% of senior leadership roles are held by women of color or gender-expansive leaders of color
These organizations serve vulnerable communities across the region, including Spanish-speaking families, immigrant communities, low-income households, and neighborhoods with limited access to childcare and early education opportunities.
Most funded partners primarily serve families below 200% of the federal poverty level, ensuring resources are directed where they are needed most.
Anticipated Regional Impact
Through this investment, ECEFC-funded organizations are positioned to support:
Washington, D.C.
- 46,087 children ages 5 and younger
- 3,862 early childhood educators
- 459 ECE program administrators
Maryland
- 75,000 children ages 5 and younger
- 900 early childhood educators
- 870 ECE program administrators
Virginia
- 75,000 children ages 5 and younger
- 30,000 early childhood educators
- 4,500 ECE program administrators
(Note: Impact estimates reflect the maximum reach per category within each region and may include overlap across organizations.)
Building a Stronger Early Childhood System
From policy and budget advocacy to workforce development, leadership fellowships, mentoring networks, and coalition-building, the 2026 ECE grantee partners are working across systems and communities to ensure:
- Early educators are respected, supported, and fairly compensated
- Families have access to affordable, high-quality care
- Policymakers prioritize sustainable public investment in early childhood
- Children — especially those facing systemic barriers — enter kindergarten ready to thrive
We are honored to partner with this extraordinary cohort of leaders who are shaping a more equitable early childhood system across the Washington region.