Harnessing the Power of Communities to Help Children: The Early Learning Nation Collective

In this Funder-to-Funder Conversation, Megan Wyatt of the Bezos Family Foundation (BFF) offered the above reflection as she described what sparked the Early Learning Nation (ELN) Collective and its efforts to shift power and influence to local leaders to create communities where every child has the resources they need to thrive. Thank you for registering for this funder-focused session and for joining us to explore this powerful new approach to supporting local action.  

Angela Garcia, co-chair of the ELN Collective Steering Committee and director of Toy Box Early Learning Centers in Las Cruces, New Mexico, facilitated the discussion which featured the founding funder and national partners of the ELN Collective. During the conversation, Garcia first spoke with Megan Wyatt, who explained how the ELN Collective aligns with BFF’s commitment to fostering early brain development in children through community partnerships. 

Garcia then engaged representatives from the seven national partners that comprise the ELN Collective — Center for the Study of Social Policy, Children’s Defense Fund, National League of Cities, Save the Children Action Network, Start Early, The Hunt Institute, and UnidosUS. Each partner shared insights into their unique role within the collective and emphasized how their intentional collaboration strengthens the collective’s impact, ensuring that its efforts are greater than the sum of its parts. They highlighted how their joint initiatives — such as community action tools, technical assistance, community cohorts and convenings, and a Local Action Fund led by community members — position local leaders to drive meaningful change within their communities. 

“One of the tenets of democracy is the voice of the people — that those voices are heard and that folks from all walks of life have a seat at decision-making tables….That’s why this collective initiative is so timely and so right for this moment. We say ‘for the people, by the people,’ and this work is really making that happen. We know that local leaders and communities must be part of the solution….Those who are closest to families and the needs of young children, especially those in underserved communities, must be at the table to help us develop systems and services that meet their needs. The collective is about doing that work.”   —Tonja Rucker, The National League of Cities 

Wyatt encouraged other philanthropic organizations to join in scaling and expanding the ELN Collective, emphasizing that “this work is designed to accomplish what no single organization could achieve alone, and for that reason, it is beyond the capacity of any one philanthropic entity to steward independently.” She announced that the next phase of investment would commence in the summer, with investments from additional funders unlocking further support from BFF. 

Wyatt also extended an invitation to state and local funders operating in the 15 priority states where the ELN Collective is currently focused — Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia — to collaborate with BFF and the ELN Collective. She highlighted the opportunity to leverage the collective’s free resources and its network of engaged local leaders to advance CGLR’s shared goal of creating brighter futures for young children. 

To connect with and explore investment opportunities with the ELN Collective, contact: rucker@nlc.org.