Grotto's Focus on Early Childhood Development/Parenting

At the 2008 Board Retreat for Strategic Planning, the Grotto Directors determined that they wanted to focus Grotto’s funding on support for Early Childhood Development and Parenting. While Grotto had sustained a long-term commitment to supporting small, grassroots organizations serving diverse communities, the Board believed that many of the ills presently facing society could be better addressed by helping parents be better parents and by helping their children by providing for nurture and education from birth.

They were quite aware of the research that shows that, with quality parenting, early childhood development and early childhood education, children have a tendency to be well prepared for school and for success. There is substantial evidence that investing in children’s development and education reduces the need to invest in their future incarceration, as they tend to be productive and not destructive.

Following the retreat, the staff was encouraged to devote approximately four months to research and learning from other foundations and support agencies what was being done in the field of ECD and Parenting. Again, the research substantiated that, if greater funding is invested in the healthy growth of a child from birth to six years of age, considerably less funding is required for remedial programs or punitive institutionalization of those who suffered from a lack of nurturing, caring, and education. Unfortunately at this time, more money is spent on our prison system than on our children. If the reverse became the norm, healthier and better-educated children would be more likely to become productive and taxpaying adults and parents.

Accordingly, the Grotto Foundation will focus its funding to support agencies and institutions dedicated to improving the quality of parenting and the well-being of infants and children (from birth to six years of age). The Grotto Foundation will no longer continue its general grantmaking and will no longer accept proposals or requests for funding.

The staff of the Grotto Foundation has been authorized to research and investigate agencies and organizations dedicated to Early Childhood Development and Parenting. Staff members will do the research on particular programs they believe will meet the interest of the Foundation’s Board and the criteria it has established. Upon the approval of the Board, the staff is then empowered to enter into a grant agreement with the selected agency, pending receipt of required documentation and support from the management and board of the selected agency.

Grotto plans an evaluation of its process, its grantmaking, and the outcomes. At the conclusion of the initial five-year project, Grotto hopes to learn the impact of this focused giving effort, and its continuation will be dependent upon the findings.