Children's Investment Fund
Newsletter
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Dear Colleagues and Partners,
We continue to stay busy with the FY20 Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund round currently underway. We are also gearing up for our "Building Stronger Centers" training in May. The training is a week-long, intensive course for nonprofit centers that are planning a major renovation or construction project. Please share information about the training with centers that might be interested!
In November, we received a second award from the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund in the amount of $275,000 over three years. Success with our first two proposals to the CDFI Fund means that we have greater support for our core training and technical assistance work. We are unique throughout the country as a CDFI focused exclusively on early childhood education and out-of-school time settings and are thankful for this new partnership.
Best,
 
Theresa Jordan
Director of Children’s Facilities Finance
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Building Stronger Centers Training
From May 18th to May 21st, CIF will host its 11th "Building Stronger Centers" Training Institute for early childhood education and out-of-school time nonprofits that are planning a facility improvement project. Please call us at 617-727-5944 to learn more!
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Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD)
On December 17th, CIF staff joined with our colleagues at ABCD Head Start to celebrate the opening of its early learning program at 82 Savin Street in Dorchester. The building, a City of Boston-leased property held in trust by the George Robert White Foundation, was substantially renovated and newly dedicated in memory of Rosa Parks. The center serves up to 61 infants, toddlers and preschool-age children. In 2017, ABCD received a $743,740 EEOST Capital Fund grant.
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The renovated building houses large, sunny classrooms for 61 infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
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Mayor Walsh, EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, and ABCD Executive VP/COO (and CEDAC/CIF board member) Sharon Scott Chandler cut a ribbon alongside staff and partners.
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FY19 EEOST Award Celebration
In December, CIF and Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy hosted an event to formally announce the FY19 EEOST Capital Fund awardees. The event took place at a vacant office space within the Village Market Place in Hyannis that the YMCA of Cape Cod plans to convert into a high-quality, five-classroom early learning center with a new outdoor play area. Four state legislators representing the Cape attended and spoke. The Commissioner announced $6 million in awards to 6 grantees – the highest amount awarded in one year since EEOST’s inception in 2014. We are grateful for the support of the Baker-Polito Administration for this important capital program.
Read more about the event on CEDAC's blog.
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YWCA Central Massachusetts
The YWCA Central Massachusetts hosted a groundbreaking event in January 2020 to mark the beginning of the renovation of its 74,000 square-foot building in downtown Worcester. The project will improve the quality of licensed early childhood education classrooms for 137 children and will reconfigure 41 transitional housing units for low-income women into 45 units. CIF and CEDAC made a joint loan commitment of $200,000 to the YWCA in 2018 for predevelopment costs, given that it is a project that co-locates both early childhood education and affordable housing under the same roof. In 2019, the EEC awarded $1 million to the YWCA, enabling the early education renovations to include increased natural light in classrooms, enhanced security, and improved access to outdoor play spaces.
For an update on the project and links to press stories, visit the YWCA's website.
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The YWCA project is led by an all-women construction team.
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EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy, Senate President Emerita Harriette Chandler, YWCA Central MA Executive Director Linda Cavaioli, Representative David LeBoeuf, CIF Director of Children's Facilities Finance Theresa Jordan, and CEDAC Executive Director Roger Herzog.
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Early Education and School-Age Care Advocacy Day 2020
On March 5th, Advocacy Day at the State House brought early educators, parents, policymakers, and advocates to the Great Hall to champion high-quality, affordable care for Massachusetts. A coalition of organizations led the charge and speakers included Senator Sal DiDomenico, Senator Michael Moore, Chief of Police Michael Wynn of Pittsfield, and EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy who noted, "We were the birth place of health care reform. We can be the birth place of affordable child care.”
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EEC Commissioner Samantha Aigner-Treworgy addressing the crowd at the State House, with Amy O'Leary of Strategies for Children (and CIF Board Member) in the background.
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Planning to Improve your Facility?
The Fund offers predevelopment loans, acquisition loans, and permanent financing as well as invaluable technical assistance to you and your team.
For more information, contact Theresa Jordan at 617-727-5944, ext. 107 or tjordan@childrensinvestmentfundma.org.
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Resources for Healthy Drinking Water
If you're an early education center in Massachusetts, check out these new resources:
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has a FREE program for testing and follow-up assistance at eligible group child care centers (private and public). www.mass.gov/service-details/technical-assistance-in-2020-for-lead-in-school-drinking-water
The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust has a FREE grant program for water bottle filling stations at eligible public group child care centers. www.mass.gov/swig
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People's United Community Foundation awarded Children's Investment Fund a $5,000 grant for our core training and technical assistance work. Thank you, People's United!
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