Work will ensure more children have the skills to succeed in kindergarten and beyond
TALENT EVV | Upward Mobility News
(NEWS RELEASE) INDIANAPOLIS – Early Learning Indiana (ELI) announced today that 68 community
organizations have joined the Early Years Initiative receiving $23 million in grants to help them
meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers and surround Hoosier families with the
resources to capitalize on the opportunities for learning that occur from birth to age 3.
This is the second round of grants in the Early Years Initiative, which began in 2023 and is
made possible by $60 million in grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. The goal of the initiative is to
ensure Indiana’s infants and toddlers develop the foundational knowledge and skills needed to
support their future learning and development.
In total, the initiative has awarded 154 grants to 133 organizations. Among other outcomes,
grants are supporting the creation of more than 2,700 child care seats.
“Research is clear that a child’s brain develops most between birth and age 3 and that the
neural pathways formed in these earliest years of life form the basis for all future learning and
development,” said Maureen Weber, president & CEO of Early Learning Indiana. “That’s why
the work of the Early Years Initiative is so critical. We must ensure supportive environments and
responsive interactions between infants and toddlers and their caregivers to set the trajectory
for their overall development and lifelong learning.”
All Early Years Initiative work is designed to strengthen foundational learning and development,but programs and projects are as varied as the needs of the young children they serve. They fall under four strategic priorities:
- Parenting Preparation and Support – Strengthening families through home visiting and
parent education programs - Child Care Access and Effectiveness – Ensuring access to supportive child care
- Early Detection and Intervention – Supporting the early detection of developmental
needs or disabilities and implementing responsive interventions - Early Language and Literacy – Promoting essential skills through early language
strategies
“The environment and experiences of a child’s first three years of life substantially influencE
cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. What young children experience in those
formative years can affect academic success and quality of life throughout their lives,” said Ted
Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are enthusiastic about the potential
impact these programs will have on children and their families across Indiana.”
One organization that is expanding its reach through the initiative is Foundation for Better
Health. A 2023 grantee in the initiative, the organization in southwestern Indiana has used
funding to expand its Pre to 3 program to an additional 250 Vanderburgh County families. The
program provides regular free home visits from a dedicated community health worker during
pregnancy and until the child turns three. For families that do not speak English as a first
language, the goal is to match them with a community health worker that speaks the family’s
native language.
“Our program is integrated into the community,” said Lynn Herr, Vanderburgh County Health
Department director of clinical and outreach division. “We have built strong partnerships with
local birthing centers, and we’re all working together to improve infant mortality rates. I couldn’t
be prouder of this program and the families in it who are working so hard to improve the lives of
children.”
Organizations participating in the Early Years Initiative include social service providers, faith-
based organizations, community foundations, United Ways, child care providers, school
districts, higher education institutions and other not-for-profit organizations in 80 counties in
Indiana.
Learn more about the initiative and its success at EarlyYearsInitiative.org.
Visit https://earlylearningin.org/early-years-initiative/media-toolkit/ to see a list of grantees filtered by county.
About Early Learning Indiana
Early Learning Indiana is an expert and trusted voice on early childhood education that works
statewide to provide leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services that
continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana. Early Learning Indiana operates 12
nationally accredited, high-quality Day Early Learning centers, a network of premier community-
based centers used to advance the science of early learning, train the next generation of
teachers and leaders, and instill knowledge and skills in the children we serve. Through regional
and statewide programs, the organization works to ensure young children are empowered with
essential skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more at EarlyLearningIN.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937
by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical
business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the
Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing
board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the
causes of community development, education and religion. Although the Endowment funds
programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special
commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana