Highlighting NEEC's Champions

Early childhood is the foundation upon which futures are built, and we have one chance to get it right. We believe that children’s voices deserve to be heard, their rights realized, and their issues given top priority. Kids can't vote or contribute to political campaigns, so they need someone to keep their needs at the forefront of the minds of decision makers. In an increasingly fractured political environment, we work in a bipartisan manner to ensure our elected officials come together in support of our nation’s children.

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) is a champion for early childhood education because it recognizes that access to high-quality, affordable care is essential for children, families, and the region’s long-term vitality. CFMT co-founded the Nashville Early Education Coalition (NEEC), bringing together public, private, and nonprofit leaders to address a fragmented childcare system where more than half of Nashville’s children lack access to adequate care. Through partnerships like ChildcareTennessee, CFMT has administered over $100 million in grants to improve and expand licensed childcare programs across the state. Its Early Childhood Scholarship Fund, established in 2007, helps working families afford care at high-quality nonprofit centers. CFMT also helps attract transformational philanthropic investments, including a $5 million grant from The Frist Foundation that launched the Nashville Childcare Opportunity Fund, administered by NEEC. From direct financial support to advocacy and strategic convening, CFMT’s work in early childhood education reflects its commitment to strengthening communities by supporting children from the very beginning.

To champion our community in raising children in safe and accessible environments and help our city thrive.

Most brain development begins in the first years of a child’s life. We have the opportunity and honor to impact the trajectory of these little lives by providing world class and evidenced based care. Children are full of wonder and brilliance and walking the early years journey beside families is critically important.

Our mission, what we come in every day in order to accomplish: To provide a nurturing and safe childcare program. Our qualified staff offers a solid and remarkable academic environment that teaches to each child’s individual needs.

The early years matter. If we set children up for success from the start, we see gains in workforce, employment and community health.

As one of the oldest childcare centers in Tennessee, we recognize the challenges for both families needing care and providers who are struggling to meet the overwhelming demands. We’re committed to being a part of the solution.

Our clinic is a champion for early childhood education because we believe that access to high-quality early learning opportunities lays the foundation for healthy cognitive and psychosocial development. We are committed to helping our families connect with strong educational programs not only to support their child's learning, but also to help strengthen the supportive and caring communities our families belong to.

Amplifying Voiceless Perspectives: Young children can't advocate for themselves, and many families lack the resources or knowledge to navigate educational systems. As an advocate, you become their voice, ensuring their needs are heard in policy discussions and funding decisions.

Our youngest children deserve the same resources and support as kindergarten through high school has available. Their exposure to high quality experiences taught by valued, appropriately compensated, teachers could change the trajectory of our community. My work community is in support of endorsing better experiences for all our families.

For nearly 70 years, our organization has focused on supporting school-aged youth from South Nashville's economically disadvantaged communities. Many of them did not receive the early childhood education that would set them up for academic success in school. Through this partnership, our city's most vulnerable students will be able to reach their potential: they are not starting ahead instead of behind.

Elevate has been lucky enough to support early childcare work in Nashville for the past several years. As a woman-owned business, we understand the importance of a strong childcare system, and we're grateful for NEEC's work and the work of other partners in this space!

The team at CHALK knows that high-quality early learning experiences are critically important for children’s cognitive development and future achievement, and that early learning experiences have an outsized impact for the rest of a child’s life!

Nashville Children’s Theatre is a champion for early childhood education because we believe the arts play a crucial role in a child’s development. Theatre ignites creativity, nurtures empathy, and builds confidence from an early age. By engaging young children in storytelling and imaginative play, we help them develop essential communication and social skills that will serve them for a lifetime. We are passionate about creating spaces where every child feels seen, heard, and inspired to explore the world around them.