Name: Marin Community Foundation
Price range: $

The Objective

Increase the number of low-income children and children of color who are prepared for academic success through access to quality PreK-3 education, parent involvement, and after-school learning.

The Issue

While educational attainment for white students in Marin is at the highest levels in the nation, low-income students, students of color, and English-learners lag in educational enrollment and attainment; African Americans and Latino students face higher school dropout rates than their white counterparts. Many of these children face significant barriers to quality preschool education in Marin when compared to higher-income and white children.

Our Approach

Quality early education is known to be effective in closing the achievement gap. Children participating in tailored PreK-3 programs leave each grade with the appropriate social, emotional, and academic skills they need to succeed in the next grade. So we will support the professional development of early childhood educators.

Parents are a child’s first teachers. They can encourage student performance and lay the foundation for future success. Low-income parents or newcomer parents may require additional resources or knowledge to guide their child’s education. So we will support programs that increase parent engagement in their child’s education.

Time is of the essence for children who start with weaker learning foundations, especially for children learning English. Research from schools and districts is proving that incorporating more academic learning opportunities into afterschool time provides critical educational benefits for students. So we will support programs that engage children in beneficial afterschool learning opportunities.

**Please note: MCF is no longer accepting proposals for this program.**