What is AEEC?
Who will AEEC support?
AEEC is a bold $5 million investment from JPMorgan Chase over three years
Advancing Early Education Collaborative is a partnership launched by Martha’s Table, American University, LIFT-DC, Trinity Washington University, and Youth Invest Partners, with the Urban Institute serving as the evaluation partner.
This partnership will tackle the systemic drivers of wealth gaps within the early education sector. In Washington, D.C., the early education field is racially and economically segregated. Most early childhood educators in D.C. are Black and/or Latina women, who earn just $17,771 annually (Urban Institute, 2018). This is due to a variety of factors, including a lack of access to postsecondary education and financial security, as well as low wages for early childhood educators and employment in small, minority-owned centers that are under-resourced.
AEEC supports those in the District of Columbia, ages 16+, who are seeking to enter into or advance in the early childhood education profession
AEEC will place an intentional focus on enrolling Black and Latina women, who are among those hardest hit by the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same time, AEEC will also partner with early education centers in D.C. to pilot new business models to foster higher wages for this critical profession.
Meet the AEEC Partners
Martha’s Table believes that every Washingtonian deserves the opportunity to thrive. For more than 40 years, we’ve supported strong children, strong families, and strong communities in the District of Columbia. Today, we stand firmly alongside Washingtonians on both sides of the Anacostia River by operating nationally accredited education programs, pairing healthy food access with physical and mental health services, and promoting family success by investing in family leaders.
America University
American University leverages the power and purpose of scholarship, learning, and community to impact our changing world. From sustainability to social justice to the sciences, AU’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni are changemakers. Building on our 128-year history of education and research in the public interest, we say ‘Challenge Accepted’ to addressing the world’s pressing issues. Our Change Can’t Wait comprehensive campaign creates transformative educational opportunities, advances research with impact, and builds stronger communities.
LIFT DC
LIFT-DC's mission is to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by investing in parents. We provide integrated financial, educational, and employment coaching along with direct cash payments. Our trained coaches partner with parents to build their well-being, financial strength, and social connections — or as we like to put it, Hope, Money, and Love — so that they can reach economic stability and mobility.
Trinity Washington University
Trinity Washington University is celebrating 125 years of higher education, and proudly enrolls more D.C. residents than any other private university in the city and in the nation and is designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Minority Serving Institution. Trinity is the only university in D.C. and the Washington region, and one of only a few in the country, designated as both a Predominantly Black Institution and Hispanic Serving Institution. Trinity has been a leader in preparing educators since its founding in 1897. Today, Trinity offers a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential preparation program as well as, associate degree (AA), bachelor’s degree (BA), post-bachelor certificate, and master’s degree programs (or specialization) in early education.
Youth Invest Partners
Formerly Venture Philanthropy Partners+Raise DC
Youth Invest Partners, formerly VPP+Raise DC, leads social change by making sustained investments in community organizations and spearheading partnerships between businesses, community members, funders, government, nonprofits and philanthropists. Through direct financial investments, and strategic assistance to strengthen organizational capacity, we have deployed more than $110 million to organizations serving more than 57,000 children and young adults in our region, leading to improved academic achievement, higher graduation rates and brighter futures for Greater Washington youth ages 0-24.