Birth to Five Illinois Awards Additional $2.5 Million to Strengthen Early Childhood Collaborations
October 28, 2025
Original coverage in Chambana Today by Elizabeth Hess.
New funding supports 43 regional initiatives, enhancing early childhood systems in 35 Illinois regions.
Birth to Five Illinois is continuing its investment in early childhood education by awarding an additional $2.5 million in funding for fiscal year 2026. This brings the total funding directed toward local Early Childhood Collaborations to $11.87 million since FY2023. The organization, funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), has now supported 35 of the state’s 39 regions, furthering its goal to improve early childhood systems and better serve young children and their families.
These funds will assist local collaborations, like iGrow of Vermilion County, in improving access to services, increasing developmental screenings, and strengthening community outreach.
“I am honored to announce our fourth year of directing funding to Early Childhood Collaborations across the State,” said Angela Hubbard-Fragozo, Grants and Relationship Manager for Birth to Five Illinois. “These funds support critical relationship-building efforts, updates to resource banks, outreach to families, and so much more. Birth to Five Illinois is proud to be part of a state that values and invests in efforts that center the experiences of families and communities.”
The following regional organizations will benefit from the FY2026 funding:
Addison Partners for Play, Learning, and Education (APPLE): $48,000
Altgeld-Riverdale Early Learning Initiative (ARELI): $40,000
Boone County Maternal Child Health Advisory Council (MCH): $75,000
Carbondale Early Childhood Impact Table: $45,000
Champaign County Home Visiting Consortium: $72,000
Clay County 0-5 Advisory Board: $36,000
Collaboration for Early Childhood: $75,000
Connect Home Visiting Chicago: $75,000
Crawford County Kids Association: $64,000
DeKalb County Collaborative for Young Children (DCCYC): $75,000
Early Childhood Alliance of Niles Township: $75,000
Early Childhood Coalition of the Illinois Quad City Area: $60,000
Early Childhood Forum of Central Illinois: $75,000
Effingham County Early Childhood Coalition: $36,000
Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning (EPEL): $75,000
Evanston Early Childhood Council: $72,000
Glenbard Early Childhood Collaboration: $75,000
Greater East St. Louis Early Learning Partnership: $75,000
Greene County Collaboration: $30,000
iGrow of Vermilion County: $50,000
Little Village Education Collaborative (LVEC): $60,000
Madison County Alliance of Children & Families: $60,000
Margaret F. Lee Violence Prevention & Intervention: $30,000
Menard County Family Collaborative: $53,000
Monroe Randolph Partnership for Children and Families: $55,000
North Chicago Early Childhood Collaboration: $51,000
North Lawndale Early Learning Collaboration: $75,000
Northwest Illinois Early Childhood Consortium: $38,000
Plano Area Alliance Supporting Student Success (PAASSS): $66,000
Ready to Learn: $49,000
Ready. Set. Grow: $75,000
Regional Office of Education #13 Early Childhood Education: $45,000
ROE26 IRIS Community Collaboration: $45,000
Sauk Valley STARS: $75,000
Southern Illinois Coalition for Children and Families: $75,000
Southernmost Illinois Early Learning Special Education Collaborative: $43,000
SPARK (Strong, Prepared and Ready for Kindergarten) Early Childhood Collaboration: $51,000
Success By 6: $38,000
The Village Early Childhood Collaboration: $75,000
Villa Park Area Early Childhood Collaborative: $44,000
WeGo Together for Kids: $63,000
Wheaton Warrenville Early Learning Collaborative: $32,000
Willowbrook Community Early Childhood Collaborative (WCECC): $74,000
To learn more about these initiatives or to access further resources, visit www.birthtofiveil.com/funding.