Where We Work

We begin our work in partnership with a network of early childhood education providers in Greater Boston to identify shared challenges, and then co-design, test, and evaluate solutions. What works, we seek to scale in partnership with government to ensure the broadest impact. Informed by the outcomes of our direct service work, we also support a robust portfolio of policy, research, and advocacy work to advance the lasting reform needed to transform our broken sector into a high-functioning, equitable system. 

Local Partnerships

We believe that those closest to the child care crisis are closest to the solutions. That's why we begin our work in partnership with a network of early education and care providers serving high-needs families, and approximately 3,500 people, in Greater Boston.  

The Neighborhood is a network of independent early education and care providers with whom we partner to identify shared challenges and then co-design, implement, and evaluate high-touch solutions, from our Learning Through Exploration curriculum to our Early Relational Health program.

The Village is the next step: Where we partner with a larger cohort of providers to test the scalability of solutions piloted in The Neighborhood, delivering lighter-touch, centralized services from professional development to durable good distributions that can be scaled efficiently and effectively.

Statewide

What we test in The Neighborhood that proves successful, we work to scale in partnership with the public sector statewide. Our dedicated efforts focus on encouraging government adoption of our direct-service programs, practices, and tools. This, in turn, aims to increase family access to high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive support services, while also enhancing opportunities for educators to engage in professional development. 

Our track record includes:

  • Partnership with the Commonwealth to operate a first-in-the-nation COVID-19 testing program

  • The successful scale of multiple workforce development programs, including our Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship program

  • Partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to bring instructional coaching into early education classrooms across the state

  • A new pilot to bring urgently needed early education services and material goods to serve young children living in the state’s shelter system

Nationwide

Throughout the country, we advocate for early education and care policy reform and implement innovative, scalable solutions that address the biggest challenges faced by providers and the families who rely on them.

We specialize in taking our ground-level, strategic interventions in the early education and care sector, and advocate for the public investment they need and deserve on the policy level.

Our hit podcast No One is Coming to Save Us helps amplify our voice and impact within the child care movement.

Neighborhood Villages Work In Action

The Desktop
Policy Pulse #6
Policy Pulse #6

In this issue of the Policy Pulse we share updates on several key areas of early education and Care in Massachusetts: Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3), Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) and higher education opportunities for early educators. We also share several upcoming events and important information on registering to vote.

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RECAP of the October 2024 EEC Board Meeting: Bolstering Career Pathways and a Data-Driven EEC
RECAP of the October 2024 EEC Board Meeting: Bolstering Career Pathways and a Data-Driven EEC

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

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A Look at FKO’s Groundbreaking OST Registered Apprenticeship
A Look at FKO’s Groundbreaking OST Registered Apprenticeship

Out-of-school-time (OST) programs, which play an essential role during these hours, provide more than just before and after-school care – it’s an opportunity for kids to discover their passions, gain confidence, and build critical life skills.

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Policy Pulse #5
Policy Pulse #5

In this issue of the Policy Pulse, we're excited to share our recap of the Department of Early Education and Care's (EEC) September board meeting, provide an overview of the new policy framework and rules for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operations grants program, and share opportunities to get involved with Neighborhood Villages' advocacy work in the coming year.

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RECAP of the September EEC Board Meeting: Looking Back at FY24 and ahead to FY25
RECAP of the September EEC Board Meeting: Looking Back at FY24 and ahead to FY25

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

Read More →
Beyond the Pod: Closing the Opportunity Gap Starts Before Kindergarten
Beyond the Pod: Closing the Opportunity Gap Starts Before Kindergarten

In our season four finale of “No One Is Coming to Save Us,” we hear from Brooke Legler, the owner of a child care center in Wisconsin, who is struggling to keep her center open despite the strong demand for it even in a state with nearly universal preschool.

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Beyond the Pod: Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change on Young Children
Beyond the Pod: Mitigating the Impact of Climate Change on Young Children

In episode four of our hit podcast, “No One Is Coming to Save Us”, we hear from Dr. Lisa Patel, a pediatrician and associate professor at Stanford University, who discusses the physical and mental ways that climate change impacts kids.

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Beyond the Pod: Addressing the Housing Crisis
Beyond the Pod: Addressing the Housing Crisis

Episode three of our hit podcast “No One Is Coming To Save Us” takes on the issue of housing. We hear firsthand experience from Caitlin Liversidge who became pregnant and homeless last year and has since moved through transitional housing into her own apartment with her healthy two-month-old daughter.

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Beyond The Pod: Addressing Early Relational Health in Early Childhood Education
Beyond The Pod: Addressing Early Relational Health in Early Childhood Education

Meet Lisa Garcia, our new Director of Early Relational Health

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Policy Pulse #4
Policy Pulse #4

In this issue, we share additional analysis on the impact of the Massachusetts state budget and gear up for the fall by looking ahead to forthcoming EEC meetings, Task Force and other reports, and events this September. 

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Beyond the Pod: Empowering Economic Mobility Through Early Education
Beyond the Pod: Empowering Economic Mobility Through Early Education

The first episode in Season 4, Empowering Economic Mobility Through Early Education, explores how early education can break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

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Trend of Investor-Backed Child Care Highlights Need for Public Investment in Sector
Trend of Investor-Backed Child Care Highlights Need for Public Investment in Sector

Can you imagine if Morgan Stanley owned your child’s 4th grade class? And operated it in order to make a profit? If this seems crazy to you, we agree.

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Policy Pulse #3
Policy Pulse #3

In exciting news, the Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget has been passed by the State Legislature and is on its way to Governor Maura Healey's desk for signature. There's a lot to celebrate in this year's state budget, as it includes landmark policy and funding for early education and care. In this issue of Neighborhood Villages’ Policy Pulse, we dive further into the FY25 state budget, share important updates from the Commonwealth’s Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), and provide more details on how you can provide input to Governor Healey’s Interagency Taskforce on Early Education and Child Care. Let’s dive in!

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Celebrating Momentous Child Care Policy Reforms in the FY25 State Budget
Celebrating Momentous Child Care Policy Reforms in the FY25 State Budget

The policy provisions in the FY25 budget create a framework that will make child care more affordable for more families, improve compensation for educators, and provide the child care field with more stability. 

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Early Education and Care July Policy Updates
Early Education and Care July Policy Updates

Check out the latest Early Education and Care policy updates for the month of July.

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Apprenticeships Offer a Promising Solution to our Child Care Workforce Shortage
Apprenticeships Offer a Promising Solution to our Child Care Workforce Shortage

The early education and child care sector is facing a significant workforce shortage, with the child care field still down 40,000 workers nationally since before the pandemic and alarmingly high turnover rates. Nationally, over 100,000 early educators have left the field since the pandemic with job levels for the child care sector still significantly below pre-pandemic levels.

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Policy Pulse #2
Policy Pulse #2

Welcome to issue two of Neighborhood Villages’ Policy Pulse. In this issue we dive into the most recent Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Board meeting, share more details on what’s on the table in this year’s Massachusetts state budget, and share more about Governor Maura Healey’s Interagency Early Education and Care Task Force.

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RECAP of the June EEC Board Meeting: The Plan for C3 Grants and Updates on Reform of Residential Regulations
RECAP of the June EEC Board Meeting: The Plan for C3 Grants and Updates on Reform of Residential Regulations

At Neighborhood Villages, we prioritize keeping up with the policy landscape in the early education and care field, both across the country and in Massachusetts. That includes tuning-in to the monthly meetings of the Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (“EEC Board”), to stay apprised of updates and to identify opportunities for how we can work with government and other stakeholders to improve our early education and care system.

Read More →
One Educator’s Journey From Child Care Provider to College Graduate
One Educator’s Journey From Child Care Provider to College Graduate

Bortolotto’s journey from a family child care provider to a college graduate is a testament to the power of education and the importance of having support systems in place to achieve professional growth.

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Introducing: The Policy Pulse
Introducing: The Policy Pulse

We are excited to introduce Neighborhood Villages’ first Policy Pulse - a guide to all things early education and care. In each issue, you will find an overview of what’s happening with Massachusetts and national child care policy and information on what you can do to take action and join the movement for a transformed early education and care system.

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This Mental Health Awareness Month, Recognizing the Need For Behavioral Health Supports For Our Youngest Children
This Mental Health Awareness Month, Recognizing the Need For Behavioral Health Supports For Our Youngest Children

May marks the 75th annual Mental Health Awareness Month, and at Neighborhood Villages, we are using it as an opportunity to advocate for more support for children’s behavioral health needs and to provide an update on our work to address this critical issue.

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Launching Our New Play-Based Toddler Curriculum, Co-Created with Educators
Launching Our New Play-Based Toddler Curriculum, Co-Created with Educators

At Neighborhood Villages, we are committed to addressing inequity in the early childhood education field—and we know that begins with focusing on the needs of our youngest learners and their dedicated educators. 

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New Report Compares Direct-to-Provider Grants to Child Care Financial Assistance, Finds They are a Key Funding Lever for Improving Child Care Quality, Accessibility, and Affordability
New Report Compares Direct-to-Provider Grants to Child Care Financial Assistance, Finds They are a Key Funding Lever for Improving Child Care Quality, Accessibility, and Affordability
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We Must Address the Child Care Crisis to Advance Racial Justice and Equity
We Must Address the Child Care Crisis to Advance Racial Justice and Equity

Our nation’s broken child care system is one of the greatest drivers of racial inequality. It is a system based on unjustly free or low wage labor, built on the backs of women and predominantly women of color.

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