ABOUT OUR GRANTS

Currently, The Urban Child Institute is not accepting unsolicited proposals from organizations seeking grants. We have one clearly established focus - promoting optimal brain development from conception to age three.

OUR FOCUS AREA

The Institute concentrates on scientific knowledge and proven practices guiding early childhood public policy and model programs. The Institute emphasizes the importance of parental involvement and skill building, as well as the reduction in fragmentation of services for children and families. The Institute places a priority on understanding the increasing racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the early childhood population in Shelby County. The Institute understands that poverty, single parenthood, and social exclusion are often root causes in poor outcomes for young children.

The Institute's grant making will be directed towards optimal brain development of the 43,000 children who are less than 3 years old in Shelby County including this county's more than 14,000 newborns each year.

The quality of life for a child and the contributions the child makes to society as an adult can be traced back to the first few years of life. From birth until about 5 years old, a child undergoes tremendous growth and change. If this period of life includes support for growth in cognition, language, motor skills, adaptive skills and social-emotional functioning, the child is more likely to succeed in school and later contribute to society. However, without support during these early years, a child is more likely to drop out of school, receive welfare benefits and commit crime. (Art Rolnick, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, 2003)

For more information contact
Katy Spurlock at 901-526-1822 x243