Neighborhood Villages is a Massachusetts systems-change non-profit working to create a future in which all families have access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education. We envision a transformed, equitable early childhood education system that lifts up educators and sets every child and family up to thrive. In pursuit of this vision, Neighborhood Villages designs, evaluates, and scales innovative solutions to the biggest challenges facing early childhood education providers and the children and families who rely on them, and drives policy reform through advocacy, education, and research.

We are so grateful to the Hestia Fund for its support of our Neighborhood program. Modeling the way in which K-12 districts support individual schools, the Neighborhood is a deep partnership with five Boston-based early childhood education providers serving 3,000 people. In the Neighborhood, we pilot innovations that can be scaled in partnership with government, with centralized infrastructure supports ranging from professional development for educators to wraparound services for families. For example, in partnership with Neighborhood providers and Boston Public Schools, we are developing a first-of-its-kind, play-based toddler curriculum and coaching model that aligns with BPS’ Focus Curriculum (pre-K – age 8).

Support from the Hestia Fund is enabling Neighborhood Villages to show how our early childhood education sector can be transformed into a system that provides both high-quality education and meets the most pressing needs of children and families.