Foundation for Child Development
/OVERVIEW: The Foundation for Child Development supports research, policy and advocacy in the areas of early childhood education, care and development. Its Young Scholars Program supports the work of early career researchers.
IP TAKE: The Foundation for Child Development mainly supports research that aims to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education and childcare. Its Young Scholars Program seems to especially support researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Grantseekers looking to support child development work that isn’t related to research in some significant way should look elsewhere.
This is not the most accessible funder in this space. While it accepts applications for its Young Scholars Program, the rest of its general grantmaking program is by invitation only. To get on its radar, connect with its past researchers and current officers. This is a long-standing funder that likes to see its grantees succeed and offers support to match.
PROFILE: The Foundation for Child Development began as an auxiliary board of New York City's Children's Aid Society in 1899 and initially provided educational services to disabled children. It was renamed the Association for the Aid of Crippled Children in 1908, and with a bequest from silk manufacturer Milo M. Belding in 1944, it became a grantmaking organization. Throughout the 20th century, the organization's focus broadened to address the development of all children, and it was renamed the Foundation for Child Development in 1972. The foundation aims to "harness the power of research to ensure that all young children benefit from early learning experiences that affirm their individual, family, and community assets, fortify them against harmful consequences arising from economic instability and social exclusion and that strengthen their developmental potential." Its main focus areas are Stronger Workforce, Effective Systems and Priority Populations, in addition to its Young Scholars Program.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
The Foundation for Child Development’s Stronger Workforce initiative supports early childhood education professionals through projects and research that aim to professionalize, better prepare and enhance the quality of educational practices. The Effective Systems initiative focuses on research that “provides useful information and means to meaningful change” in early childhood education practice. The Priority Populations program, meanwhile, aims to identify, understand and respond to the challenges faced by children of vulnerable populations. Past grantees include Child Trends Inc., a Maryland-based organization that conducts research on the accessibility of high quality early childhood education programs, and the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association, which used funding to develop public television programming about early childhood policies.
Grants for Science Research
The Foundation for Child Development’s Young Scholars Program supports early career researchers in the field of early childhood development and education. It funds research that is “policy and practice-relevant” regarding “preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and on-going professional learning” in the workforce. It especially seeks to encourage diversity in the and prioritizes researchers who are from "historically disadvantaged or underrepresented groups" as well as those who "represent a variety of disciplines and methodological approaches." To be eligible, applicants must have received their Ph.D. within the last eight years, or M.D. within the last 11 years, and be affiliated with a hospital or university with an operating budget of at least $2.5 million and a proven record of multi-year research.
Important Grant Details:
This foundation's grants range from $34,000 to $400,000 and are generally awarded to researchers and research teams working at universities or medical institutions. Funding is limited to the United States. Summaries of past and current grants are available on the foundation's grants page.
The Foundation for Child Development accepts applications only for its Young Scholars Program. Its general grantmaking program is by invitation only.
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