OVERVIEW: The Buffett Early Childhood Fund supports practice, policy and science aimed at improving outcomes for at-risk children in the U.S. The fund partners with other organizations to run and evaluate Educare, a network of high quality early education schools operating in 13 states. In addition to investing in several national programs, the fund supports organizations operating in Nebraska.
IP TAKE: The Buffett Early Childhood Fund runs its signature Educare network of early childhood schools in collaboration with other nonprofit organizations. It also supports child development research at leading institutes and universities and organizations that inform early childhood policy on state and national levels. A separate initiative supports organizations operating in Nebraska. This is a supportive education funder that works on a variety of fronts beyond grantmaking.
However, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund is not accessible, making it harder to get a grant here. Network with it’s staff or previous grantees to get on this proactive grantmaker’s radar. It’s also collaborative, which provides another way to work with this funder.
PROFILE: The Buffett Early Childhood Fund was established in 2005 by Susan A. Buffett, the daughter of investor Warren Buffett. Based in Omaha, Nebraska, the fund "invests in practice, policy and science to maximize the potential of the youngest and most vulnerable children and their families in Nebraska and across America." Its national funding initiatives address education practice, policy and science. Buffett also runs a funding line to support early childhood learning and services in the state of Nebraska.
Grants for Early Childhood Development and Science Research
The Buffett Early Childhood Fund's Practice initiative consists of its signature Educare program, a partnership with the Ounce of Prevention Fund and many other organizations that run 21 early high-performing early childhood schools in 13 states. The fund's Policy initiative supports the Alliance for Early Success, a national organization working at the state level to educate decision-makers about early childhood factors that predict success in school, and the First Five Years Fund, which "seeks to increase the number of policymakers, private foundations and business leaders who believe in the value of supporting young children early, intensively and over time."
Buffett's Science program supports the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, an institute that prioritizes research aimed at improving outcomes for the most disadvantaged children in the U.S., and the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, which evaluates the Educare program. Buffett also supports the research of Nobel Laureate Dr. James Heckman, who uncovers the economic value of supporting high quality early childhood initiatives.
In Nebraska, Buffett supports a wide range of organizations and agencies that target the 11 counties where 64 percent of the state's at-risk children reside. One grantee, the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative and Exchange, works with multiple early childhood education providers to improve program quality and administrative efficiency. Another recipient, Project Harmony, provides victims of child abuse with medical, social and advocacy services.
Important Grant Details:
Buffett’s annual grantmaking surpassed $42 million in a recent year. Although the Buffett Early Childhood Fund awards a number of grants ranging from $500,000 to $1 million, the majority of grants range from $50,000 to $300,000. The fund does not accept unsolicited proposals but provides contact information on its website. For additional information about past grantmaking, see the fund’s individual program pages or its recent tax filings.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS: