A Message to Our Supporters
Without a doubt, 2023 was a year of incredible growth and impact. We founded Neighborhood Villages in 2017 to deliver real solutions to our nation’s broken child care sector. Our vision is a transformed, equitable early childhood education system that lifts up educators and sets every child and family up to thrive and our commitment is to prove that such a system is possible.
On behalf of our wonderful staff and those we serve, thank you for being a part of our movement!
Our Year in Review
Neighborhood Villages’ impact continues to grow, thanks to our many inspiring partners. This year, we launched new pilot programs with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and City of Boston, while deepening partnerships with community organizations and providers and educators in our Neighborhood program.
We were particularly proud to see our work recognized by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who made a $2 million investment in our mission to transform our broken early childhood education system in Massachusetts and beyond.
“Neighborhood Villages is an essential partner in our on-the-ground work to provide high-quality education and care experiences for the children and families we serve. And at the policy level, they are changing the conversation about child care as a public good worthy of urgent, meaningful investment.”
- Justin Pasquariello, Executive Director of East Boston Social Servicers
Systems-Change Innovation in Action
The Neighborhood is our innovation lab, where we are modeling a school district for early childhood education. It’s where we partner with philanthropy to pilot innovative, systems-change solutions that can be scaled in partnership with government. The Neighborhood is proof that, together, we can build a system that works. For everyone.
In 2023, we worked with our incredible partners to pilot new initiatives to expand access to high-quality early childhood education in Boston, across the Commonwealth, and beyond.
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Piloting Teaching and Learning Supports
We’ve heard from many providers that there is a major gap when it comes to professional development opportunities for early childhood educators. To fill this unmet need, Neighborhood Villages created a comprehensive menu of ECE teaching and learning supports.
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A Groundbreaking New Curriculum
In partnership with the LEGO Foundation and Boston Public Schools (BPS) Department of Early Childhood, we piloted a groundbreaking, play-based curriculum for toddlers that aligns with BPS’ acclaimed Focus curriculum for children ages 3-8. Over the coming year, we’ll also be developing an infant curriculum. When complete, this curriculum will be the first-of-its-kind.
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Addressing the children’s mental health crisis
The early childhood education system currently lacks the funding and infrastructure required to meet the mental health needs of children, families, and educators. In 2023, we began a groundbreaking new Neighborhood program pilot to increase and streamline access to mental health supports in early childhood education settings.
What We Test in The Neighborhood, We Work to Scale Statewide.
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Professional Pathways
Professional Pathways, a cost-free resource in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, supports early educators with attaining teacher credentials and launching careers in early education and care.
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Business Management Training
Neighborhood Villages offers free business training for early education providers in Massachusetts, including FCC Providers and GSA Administrators.
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Apprenticeship Program
Neighborhood Villages operates a cost-free apprenticeship program that invest in early educators’ professional development and ongoing advancement in the field.
Historic Policy Wins
Massachusetts is taking important steps towards building a stronger early education and care system.
This year’s 2024 state budget commits a historic $1.5 billion to early education and care. In coalition with our partners, Neighborhood Villages was proud to play a role in this accomplishment.
In particular, we celebrate the inclusion of $475 million for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Stabilization Grant program, which have proven indispensable to sustaining the early education and child care sector.
No One is Coming to Save Us: Season 3
In 2023, our hit podcast, No One is Coming to Save Us, took the show on the road for our third season, visiting cities and towns across the country and hosting our first-ever live episode.
In the News
The child care crisis has increasingly become front page news, as families and child care providers struggle under a broken system. In 2023, Neighborhood Villages, a recognized innovator and leading advocacy voice in the field, continued to make headlines and to draw attention to the key challenges – and opportunities – the field is facing.
Our Financials
Our Supporters & Partners
We are grateful to the individuals and institutions who generously supported our mission and programs this year.
View the 2022-23 list of supporters, staff, and board of directors here.