HUDSON –The St. Croix Valley Foundation is launching an important new annual grant program focused on the needs of children in their first thousand days of life (roughly the first three years).

The FIRST 1000 DAYS grant program has been initiated through the generosity of a donor interested in supporting the physical, mental, emotional, and social development of children during these critical early months of life. Early childhood education is an essential element for children, families, and communities to thrive. Yet, the United States invests a fraction per child on care and education in the first five years as in the next 13.

The St. Croix Valley Foundation’s FIRST 1000 DAYS grant program aims to help mitigate that shortfall in attention and resources and focus on this critical period of development. In 2023, the FIRST 1000 DAYS grant program intends to support organizations and programs that prepare children to succeed when they enter school.

The grant application process is open (now) Oct. 9 through Nov 17. Grants will range from $1,000 (expanding current services/programs) to $25,000 (development and deployment of new services/programs).

Who qualifies?

• Organizations with a long-term commitment to early childhood education and programming.
• Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; a governmental or tribal entity, educational, or religious organization defined as tax exempt; or partner with an eligible fiscal agent.
• Grant applicants must provide programming/services in the six-county St. Croix Valley Foundation service area (Chisago and Washington counties in Minnesota; Burnett, Polk, St. Croix and Pierce counties in Wisconsin).

More information, including complete eligibility and grant program guidelines as well as access to the application, can be found at www.scvfoundation.org/grants.

Submitted by St. Croix Valley Foundation