Community Foundation Unveils Preschool Scholarship Program
Seeks to Raise Public Awareness

The Northern Indiana Community Foundation (NICF), is embarking on an exciting and innovative local project. In partnership with local preschools, schools and other organizations, the NICF is establishing a preschool scholarship program for the children of Fulton, Miami and Starke Counties.

The goal of the program is to make one year of preschool education affordable to every child in our counties. Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, need-based scholarships will be available to families of four-year-old children. Work on the project, including a feasibility study, began in 2011.

Many people underestimate the importance of preschool education. The expectations of what a child entering kindergarten should know have risen dramatically in recent years and local children who arrive for kindergarten unprepared often have difficulty catching up to their peers.

Eighty-five percent of a child’s brain growth happens by the age of five, and children who attend preschool are more likely to read at grade level, graduate from high school, and continue on to secondary education.

During the 2011-2012 school year, a number of children in Miami, Fulton and Starke Counties did not attended preschool. Three reasons for lack of attendance are commonly cited: parents’ lack of understanding regarding the importance of preschool, a lack of transportation, and a lack of financial resources.

The NICF hopes to encourage donors and citizens in all of our counties to develop a partnership to make this program successful by illustrating how both children and the community benefit from investing in high-quality preschool education.

Rigorous studies have shown that for every dollar invested in early childhood education programs for low-income children, between $4 and $9 is returned to the community.

These financial returns come in the form of reduced special education costs, less grade repetition in schools, better job preparedness and a greater ability to meet future labor force demands, higher incomes due to higher educational attainment, fewer welfare payments, and lower criminal casualties and prison costs.

“It’s clear that investing in early childhood education leads to long-term community benefits that would be unwise to ignore,” says NICF Executive Director Jay Albright.

For more information about the scholarship program or to contribute, visit the Giving Connection to invest in the Preschool Scholarship Program for Fulton, Miami or Starke County children.

Welcome to Northern Indiana Community Foundation

Since 1993, the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. (NICF) has brought caring people and charitable endeavors together for the good of the community. The NICF serves the Community Foundations of Starke, Fulton and Miami Counties. This arrangement allows us to maximize our investment benefits and be more cost-efficient. Thus gifts can do more for the counties they are given to.

The NICF is a public trust, a public charity that gives donors flexible and tax-effective ways to ensure their charitable giving. Operating under state and federal laws, we work to build substantial endowment funds for our community through contributions large and small.

Contact the NICF at 574.223.2227 or toll free 877.432.6423