As the importance of the first five years of a child’s life for long-term success becomes increasingly apparent, funders are working out how to reach kids before they start school. A case in point is a new gift from the Ballmer Group that seeks to prepare kids by making sure parents have all the resources and knowledge they need to set their child up for success.
The Ballmer Group, the philanthropic outfit backed by Steve and Connie Ballmer, recently pledged $2.55 million to the St. Louis-based nonprofit Parents as Teachers. The organization works directly with parents through home visits, child screenings and coaching to help families understand child development. Parents as Teachers plans to use the funds to hire more staff and build up capacity to better serve its 1,300 partner organizations.