Advocates for Children of New Jersey
Operating support
Operating support
ICC Remote Learning Child Care Program (Special Request) for children aged 0-8
Support for ACNJ’s census 2020 Campaign work in counting young children
Operating support
To identify, develop, and train Newark based early childhood providers, in Newark School for the Arts’ Music and Movement Program
Continuing support for establishment of a Montclair Community Council for Young Children and support to sustain the Essex Council for Young Children
Nature Connections Field Trips for Ann’s School and Montclair Child Development Center
Support to leverage funding for infant/toddler,preschool and afterschool programs for children aged 0-8
Operating Sup[port
A parent conference on empowering parents & caregivers of Montclair
To collect and anayze data on the incidence of preschool expulsion suspesion
Continuing support for rstablisment of a Council for Youth
Support Reach Out and Read Programs in Essex County
Nature Connections Field Trip Program at Vn Vleck House & Gsrdens
Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is a non-partisan advocate for New Jersey’s children, especially the one out of every four children living in poverty. This agency carries out advocacy campaigns in areas child welfare reform, juvenile justice school policy and child health. The Schuman Fund provides operating support for early childhood advocacy.
Montclair Child Development Corporation provides Head Start services in several suburban Essex County municipalities. The Schumann grant enables the agency to gather data to explore the need for expansion of services to other towns in the area.
Programs for Parents is Essex County’s child care resource and referral agency. Our grant provides continuing support for the establishment of the Montclair Community Council for Young Children and sustainability of the Essex County Council for Young Children to strengthen collaboration among parents, families, and community stakeholders to improve the health, education, and well-being of children from pregnancy/birth to age 8.
This multi-service organization is a hub of family, child, and neighborhood services in a diverse, largely working-class neighborhood in Newark’s West Ward. The Schumann Fund provides support for preschool and Head Start services.
Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is a non-partisan advocate for New Jersey’s children, especially the one out of every four children living in poverty. The Schumann Fund supports ACNJ’s current advocacy agenda and a planned “Listening Tour” to get input from families across New Jersey on the needs of children and families.
Child Care Connection works closely with family child care providers. The Schumann Fund supports a final assessment of an original cohort of family child care providers using the Family Child Care Environmental Rating Scale evaluation – the Grow NJ QRIS instrument.
Programs for Parents will facilitate the establishment of a Montclair Community Council for Young Children to enable the Montclair, NJ community to improve services and provide greater supports for families with young children.
The BUILD Initiative for Early Learning is a project of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. It is designed to enable New Jersey and nine other states build a coordinated system of programs, policies and services that meet the needs of families with children from Birth to Five. The Schumann Fund provides operating support.
Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is a non-partisan advocate for New Jersey’s children, especially the one out of every four children living in poverty. The Schumann Fund grant supports ACNJ’s Right From the Start early childhood agenda which calls for public policies to ensure that children “start off strong,” “thrive by five” and are “great at eight.”
Our grant to B.R.I.C.K. supports the development of a high quality preschool program for students at two district elementary schools in Newark’s South Ward.
The National Institute for Early Education Research conducts research on the impact of high quality, effective early childhood education on young children, offering advice and technical assistance to policy makers, journalists, researchers, and educators. The Schumann grant supports NIEER’s efforts to evaluate the impact of full-day kindergarten on children’s cognitive and social/emotional development.
The BUILD Initiative for Early Learning is a project of the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative. It is designed to enable New Jersey and nine other states create high quality early learning programs, policies and services to meet the needs of children aged Birth to 5. The Schumann Fund provides operating support.
BRICK Newark’s founders have taken on the challenge of transforming two of Newark’s worst performing schools into safe, nurturing academically challenging environments for students. Our grant supports the development of high quality early childhood programs at the schools.
Schumann support enables the Montclair Community Pre-K to contract with the National Institute for Early Education Research to comparing student outcomes for those who attended the Pre-K with those who did not.
As part of a collective impact place-based strategy, the Schumann Fund joined four other foundations to improve early childhood services for children aged birth to 3 in Newark. Our grant to Programs for Parents, Essex County’s resource and referral agency, will enable the agency to provide training and certification for Early Head Start teachers, encouraging them to earn New Jersey’s Infant/Toddler Credential.
The Schumann Fund grant to Advocates for Children of New Jersey supports their work to protect current investments in early care and education and make the case for increased investments for low income children across the state. ACNJ’s “Right From the Start” initiative calls for parents, the public and private sectors to work together to ensure that children’s needs are met so they can “start off strong,” “thrive by five,” and be “great at eight.”
B.R.I.C.K.. Newark, Inc. was founded by a group of Teach for America corps members with a long-term commitment to teaching and leading in the Newark Public Schools. They have taken on the challenge of transforming two of the city’s worst performing schools into safe, nurturing academically challenging environments for students. Our grant supports the development of high quality early childhood programs at the schools.
The Schumann Fund’s grant to Child Care Connection, a childcare resource and referral agency, will enable the organization to assess the quality of Family Child Care Providers in three New Jersey counties, as part of a state-wide quality improvement effort.
The Newark Preschool Council Head Start Program provides Head Start and Early Head Start services to Newark families in 39 stand-alone centers and in Newark Public School classrooms. Our grant supports a Newark-wide needs assessment and strategic plan for the Council.
Our grant to the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey helps them coordinate the work of Irvington Children Achieving and Reaching Educational Success(ICARES), a coalition of Irvington community leaders, child care providers, and parents dedicated to improving the quality of early care and education in that city.
Programs for Parents is the childcare resource and referral agency for Essex County NJ. The Schumann Fund grant, in partnership with other foundations, enables the agency to implement a Quality Rating and Improvement System for 20 early childhood programs that serve 2,500 infants and toddlers in Newark’s South Ward.
over two years
High quality early education can eliminate the cognitive and language gaps between poor kindergarten-age children and their wealthier peers. The Build Initiative for Early Learning (a project of the national Early Childhood Funders Collaborative) will help New Jersey participate with nine other states to create coordinated systems of high-quality early learning programs, policies, and services to meet the needs of families with children from birth to five. The Schumann grant supports that effort.
over two years
Our grant to the Early Childhood Funders Collaborative enables the collaborative to provide information and technical assistance to prospective early childhood funders and funding for New Jersey’s participation the national Early Childhood Philanthropic Fund.
The Association for Children of New Jersey’s advocacy and action have helped make New Jersey a national leader in early care and education. Since 1998 ACNJ has led the effort to bring high-quality, well-planned preschool to children in New Jersey’s poorest cities and rural areas. The Schumann Fund supported ACNJ’s Early Learning agenda.
The Early Childhood Funder’s Collaborative (ECFC) is an affiliation of foundations and corporate giving programs with interest in early childhood care and education that provides opportunities for networking, information sharing and strategic grantmaking. Our grant provided operating support.
Ironbound Community Corporation is a multi-service community based organization that works with neighborhood residents to develop programs and services to meet the needs of the community. The Schumann Fund supported the development of an Early Head Start program that will demonstrate the impact of high quality infant toddler care on later student well-being and academic performance.
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts and communicates research to support high quality, effective early childhood education for young children and offers research-based advice and technical assistance to policy makers, researchers and educators. Schumann supports a NIEER assessment of the quality of early care and education services provided to infants and toddlers in Essex County, NJ.
The North Ward Center is one of New Jersey’s largest preschool providers, offering early childhood educational services to more than 600 children each year. The Schumann Fund provided support for a Parenting Education Program for parents of North Ward Center preschool children.
The Association for Children of New Jersey’s advocacy and action have helped make New Jersey a national leader in early care and education. Since 1998 ACNJ has led the effort to bring high-quality, well-planned preschool to children in New Jersey’s poorest cities and rural areas. The Schumann Fund supported ACNJ’s Early Learning agenda.
The Early Childhood Funder’s Collaborative (ECFC) is an affiliation of foundations and corporate giving programs with interest in early childhood care and education that provides opportunities for networking, information sharing and strategic grantmaking. Our grant provided operating support.
Ironbound Community Corporation is a multi-service community based organization that works with neighborhood residents to develop programs and services to meet the needs of the community. The Schumann Fund supported the development of an Early Head Start program that will demonstrate the impact of high quality infant toddler care on later student well-being and academic performance.
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts and communicates research to support high quality, effective early childhood education for young children and offers research-based advice and technical assistance to policy makers, researchers and educators. Schumann supports a NIEER assessment of the quality of early care and education services provided to infants and toddlers in Essex County, NJ.
The North Ward Center is one of New Jersey’s largest preschool providers, offering early childhood educational services to more than 600 children each year. The Schumann Fund provided support for a Parenting Education Program for parents of North Ward Center preschool children.
Reading at grade level by grade 3 is a clear marker for later academic success. Children who participate in high quality preschool programs are more likely to read at grade level by grade 3 when there is alignment between the pedagogy, curriculum and parent engagement practices in preschool and the early elementary years. Our grant supports ACNJ’s work with three New Jersey school districts to align these key components
The Center for Children and Childhood Studies at Rutgers University’s Camden Campus works to connect the academic resources of the university to the real-life needs of the city’s children and parents. Our grant supports the Center’s professional development programs for early childhood teachers.
The Early Childhood Funders Collaborative is an affiliation of foundations and corporate giving programs that have substantial grantmaking interest in early childhood care and education. The organization provides opportunities for information sharing, networking and strategic grantmaking. Our grant provides operating support.
The Association for Children of New Jersey’s advocacy and action have helped make New Jersey a national leader in early care and education. Since 1998 ACNJ has led the effort to bring high-quality, well-planned preschool to children in New Jersey’s poorest cities and rural areas. The Schumann Fund supported ACNJ’s advocacy, outreach and coordination of the Early Childhood Coalition and of the BUILD initiative.
In 2008 the Schumann Fund supported the piloting of a professional development and mentoring program to improve the ability of early childhood teachers to work with children and families from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The 2009 grant supported the expansion of the mentoring component of this training.
Pre-K Now is a 10-year national campaign for universal prekindergarten launched by Pew Charitable Trusts in 2002. Our investment supports the technical assistance they provide to the Association for Children of New Jersey’s campaign to expand high quality preschool in New Jersey.
The Schumann Fund supported Teaching for Change’s efforts to introduce cultural competence into the professional development protocols for early childhood teachers in New Jersey.
Since 1998, ACNJ has led the effort to effectively implement the Abbott preschool mandate for high quality, well planned preschool and to advocate for expansion of preschool to all of New Jersey’s at-risk children. The Schumann Fund grant supported ACNJ’s Early Learning Agenda.
The Schumann Fund grant supported New Jersey’s efforts to build a coordinated system of programs, policies and services that meet the needs of families with children from birth to five.
over two years
The Schumann Fund supported the Centers professional development programs for teachers and teacher aides in preschool and other early childhood settings.
over two years
The Schumann Fund supported Fight Crimes efforts to mobilize law enforcement personnel, business leaders and other unexpected messengers to advocate for increased investment in high quality early childhood education.
The Schumann Fund supported the piloting of a professional development and mentoring program to improve the ability of early childhood teachers to work with children and families from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
The Schumann Fund supported the Pre-K Nows work with the Association for Children of New Jersey on efforts to expand public investment in and access to high quality early childhood education.
New Jersey City University is developing a cohort of early childhood teachers with expertise in working with English Language Learners and their families. The Schumann Fund supported this effort.
Since 1998, the Association for Children of New Jersey has worked to expand access to high quality early childhood education, and to ensure that three and four-year-olds in the states 31 poorest district have access to the high quality preschool to which they are entitled. The Schumann Fund supported ACNJs advocacy for early learning.
The Schumann Fund provided operating support to the agencys programs for young children.
Research shows that Americans and their elected officials are most likely to push for policy change when they are persuaded that the changes are both morally right and in their proponents self interest. The Schumann Funds grant, supplemented with national funding from the Pew Charitable Trusts and others, supported Fight Crimes efforts to mobilize law enforcement officers and business leaders, both of which have unique credibility when making the case for increasing investments in young children.
The 33 member agencies of the Hispanic Directors Association provide affordable housing, legal help on immigration, health screening, job training and child care to about 250,000 New Jersey residents, many of them recent immigrants. The Schumann Funds grant enhanced the Associations capacity to work on early childhood policy in New Jersey, in coalition with other state-based organizations.
Children whose home language is Spanish are the fastest growing segment of the preschool population in New Jersey. The Schumann Funds grant supported the Watson Institutes piloting of a training program to improve the ability of early childhood teachers to work with English language learners and their families.
The Schumann Funds grant supported a study of the qualifications of staff in the licensed, community-based child care programs in the states poorest school districts, in anticipation of expansion of preschool into these districts.
Pre-K Now provided technical assistance and support to the Association for Children of New Jersey’s efforts to expand public investment in and access to high quality early childhood education. The Schumann Funds grant provided support for this work.
BUILD is a multi-state effort to improve early childhood education, parenting support and health services for children from birth to five. New Jersey is one of six states selected to participate. The Schumann Fund grant supported the work in New Jersey.
over two years
Camden is the poorest city of its size in the United States. Thirty-two percent of Camdens population is children, and more than half of them are poor. The Schumann Fund grant supported the launch of a Parents Academy, part of a new Early Learning Research Center at Rutgers Camden.
over two years
Pre-school teachers in both neighborhood and public school preschool programs in Abbott districts are now required to have a bachelors degree and course work in child development, and must be paid on par with other public school teachers. Children are showing marked academic gains as a result of these higher standards. The Center is surveying directors of Abbott preschools to identify implementation challenges and best practices. The Schumann Fund, in partnership with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, is funding the research.
The Center for Women and Work is conducting a study of work practices in early childhood programs. The study will lead to recommendations for improvements in management and work practices. The Schumann Fund grant supported a portion of the study.
About 25% of babies and toddlers in New Jersey are in child care while their parents work or go to school. The experiences that these children get in out-of-home care contribute to their emotional social and cognitive development. The Schumann Fund grant supported the piloting of an Infant/Toddler credential to prepare teachers for this important work.
over 20 months