Strong Start for Kids

Investments aimed at providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment from before birth to age 5 have long-term impacts for children growing up in poverty. Early development influences everything from kindergarten readiness to high school graduation to stable employment and health care costs.

Nobel laureate economist James Heckman put it well: “The research shows that high-quality birth-to-5 programs for disadvantaged children can deliver a 13%-per-year return on investment—a rate substantially higher than the 7% to 10% return previously established for preschool programs serving 3- to 4-year-olds. Significant gains are realized through better outcomes in education, health, social behaviors, and employment.”¹

Our research-based approach focuses on building an equitable ecosystem of early learning supports for young children. We invest in resilient families, effective programs, and connected communities to achieve the goal of more children becoming school-ready.

As of December 2022, the program has:

• Funded 143 projects totaling $64 million.
• Served 682,000 people. 
• Invested in advocacy that increased state budget allocations by more than $33 million.

Since its inception, Strong Start for Kids has made grants that seek to improve racial disparities among children of color so all young children benefit from equitable access to a robust ecosystem of support. We also continue to focus on inclusion and engagement of underserved stakeholders in the growth and evolution of the early learning sector.

In addition to our enduring commitment to children and families living in poverty, we have invested more than $25 million as of December 2022 in nonprofit organizations led by people of color, which historically have been awarded less grant money than nonprofits with white leaders. Overall, we are on a path to determine how these approaches and the others shown in the graphic help us address disparities and focus our investments on equity.

Vanguard Strong Start for Kids is supported by our crew's volunteer time and talent along with generous contributions during an annual giving campaign, including a 100% company match and additional corporate dollars. 

The program operates with the advice, feedback, and partnership of many individuals and Vanguard teams. The team overseeing Strong Start for Kids has expertise in early childhood education, community organizing, philanthropy, and business leadership and is immersed in the systems that influence the lives of children in our communities.

These dedicated professionals use a research-driven approach to grant selection. At this time, we do not accept unsolicited proposals.