Fulcrum is pleased to announce the launch of its official early childhood education (ECE) grant application process! Made possible by the generosity of Dick and Sharon Abrams, the ECE Grant Program supports early childhood education in Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle.
“Early learners are constantly on the move and learning new things. The ECE Grant Program allows us to keep up with innovative and up-to-date initiatives, equipment, and teacher training to keep imaginations and creativity soaring,” said Fulcrum-funded Director of Early Childhood Education Dave Mayer.
Archdiocesan schools may apply for grants in one of the following categories: teacher education and certification, facility upgrades such as playground equipment, and program supplies such as books and sensory toys.
This newly established system will streamline the application process for all archdiocesan preschools to apply for grant funding through Fulcrum’s Early Childhood Education Fund.
Meanwhile, Dave is hard at work putting archdiocesan preschools on the map through the new “preschool finder” tool, webinars, and resource roundtables on the Archdiocese of Seattle website. During this difficult year with the pandemic, archdiocesan early learning programs have continued to provide safe, consistent education for young learners.
“We invest in early childhood education because it is well documented that 90% of critical brain development occurs before kindergarten*,” said Dave. “ECE provides outstanding kindergarten readiness in important areas such as language, math, and social skills, and puts students on a path for a successful school experience in a faith-filled environment.”
For more information about Fulcrum’s Early Childhood Education Fund or the ECE Grant Program, please contact Julie Coleman at julie.coleman@fulcrumfoundation.org.
* Brown, Timothy. Jernigan, Terry. (2012). “Brain Development During Preschool Years.” U.S. National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/p…