CHICAGO, May 28, 2014 — In a show of support for strengthening the quality early childhood learning, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University.
McCormick Center will use the funds to ensure effective program leadership in all early childhood settings serving young children so that children thrive and are ready to succeed in school and in life. To accomplish this goal the McCormick Center will increase statewide capacity to meet the new ExceleRate Illinois QRIS standard for program administrators and align administrative competencies to ensure that program leaders—whether working in schools, Head Start, or child care center—all share a foundation of knowledge and skills.
The McCormick Foundation grant is part of a more than $5 million investment the foundation is making into 17 nonprofit organizations to support quality as well as expanded early care and education in Illinois. Over the next two years, this investment will be distributed to programs that support public policy, advocacy, access to common learning standards, principal preparation and early math instruction.
“We are committed to funding initiatives that help Illinois communities and families address healthy development, parental support, and access to quality early childhood programs,” said David Hiller, President and CEO of the McCormick Foundation. “This is an exciting time for the early care and education field because it is now getting well-deserved attention on both the federal and state levels. What we need now is more action.”
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is committed to fostering communities of educated, informed and engaged citizens. Through philanthropic programs, Cantigny Park and museums, the Foundation helps develop citizen leaders and works to make life better in our communities. The Foundation was established as a charitable trust in 1955, upon the death of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is one of the nation’s largest foundations, with more than $1.5 billion in assets.