Birth to Five Illinois Surpasses $12 Million in Grants for Early Childhood Collaborations (Chicago, IL) – Birth to Five Illinois has reached a major funding milestone, awarding a total of $12 million to support local efforts aimed at improving early learning and child care services across the state since the organization was established in 2022.
The announcement coincides with the release of $75,000 in new Planning Grant awards, distributed among six groups working to establish new Local Early Childhood Collaborations. Each group received $12,500 to help coordinate community-based partners focused on strengthening services for families with young children. This latest round of funding will support early-stage collaboration efforts in seven Illinois counties.
Local Early Childhood Collaborations bring together providers, educators, nonprofits and other stakeholders to address gaps in early learning and care at the community level. Birth to Five Illinois has made these collaborations a central focus of its grantmaking, citing their close ties to families and understanding of local needs.
“Illinois has so many strong local groups working to create nurturing communities for young children,” said Angela Hubbard-Fragozo, grants and relationship manager for Birth to Five Illinois. “By investing locally in the groups coordinating services to improve the early childhood system, we maximize the impact on children and families.”
Since its launch, Birth to Five Illinois has awarded grants to 59 Local Early Childhood Collaborations—both newly formed and long-established—spanning 37 of the state’s 39 regions.
Cicely L. Fleming, director of Birth to Five Illinois, said the pace and reach of the funding underscores both the need for investment and the capacity of local organizations to deliver results.
“In under four years, the funding we have allocated has reached almost every corner of the state, a testament to both the need for additional investment and the ability of local collaborations to quickly translate available dollars into measurable impact,” Fleming said.
The 2026 Planning Grant recipients include:
- Coles County Child Care Collaboration (Coles County)
- Jersey/Calhoun Early Childhood Collaboration (Calhoun and Jersey counties)
- Livingston County Childcare Coalition (Livingston County)
- Pike County Child Care Task Force (Pike County)
- Saline County Early Childhood Collaboration (Saline County)
- United Palatine Coalition (North Cook County)
More information about the funded collaborations and grant opportunities is available at www.birthtofiveil.com.
Birth to Five Illinois Surpasses $12 Million in Grants for Early Childhood Collaborations
