Mission:  The Foundation for Early Learning finds and fosters opportunities that support kindergarten-readiness for young children, birth to age five, in Washington State.

The Foundation for Early Learning is a non-profit organization that supports the learning of children, birth through age five.  Its goal is to eliminate this preparation gap and to ensure that every child is ready socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually to succeed in school.  FEL supports parents as their children’s first teachers by providing grants, free publications and online services.

The Foundation for Early Learning also works with partners across Washington State to support high-quality early learning experiences. Since the Foundation for Early Learning was established in 2000, it has awarded over $6.6 million in grants to community groups, built a network of more than 30 community groups, and connected thousands of parents and caregivers with local early learning resources.

Consulting Role (2001-present):  Provided facilitation, strategic planning and program coordination services to 6 separate early learning collaborations in communities across Southwest Washington.  Presented “lessons learned” in a hosted statewide teleconference involving 20 early learning leaders across Washington.

“Bill began working with the Foundation in 2001. Over the years Bill has provided professional advice to a number of western Washington communities, working to build a sustainable local early learning system. In the years that I have known Bill, I have appreciated his work in helping clients garner the resources needed to make a difference in their community.”

— Vaughnetta Barton,  Executive Director (2007-2012)