Early Childhood Education

Connecting TCUs And Our Earliest Learners

Strengthening Systems of Care and Learning with Native Communities

The American Indian College Fund (College Fund), in collaboration with Tribal Colleges and Universities, engages in early childhood education (ECE) initiatives that draw upon child development knowledge from within Native communities melded with the best practices identified in the field of early childhood education.

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TCU Early Childhood Education Initiatives

For the Wisdom of the Children:
Strengthening the Teacher of Color Pipeline

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Restorative Teachings Early
Childhood Education Initiative

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Cultivating Lakota Early
Childhood Learning Opportunities

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Ké’ Early Childhood Education
Family Engagement Initiative

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Wakanyeja – Early Childhood
Education Initiative

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Our Programs

Early Childhood Education

Connecting TCUs and our earliest learners, we support the creation and development of early childhood education from within Native communities — strengthening Native families’ roles as advocates and partners in their children’s education, and creating collaborations between early learning centers and community partners.
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Native Culture and Language Preservation

Strong Native communities are built on tribal languages, cultural knowledge, and traditional arts. With many communities facing the risk of loss of language, culture, and traditional arts, we provide grants and support for communities to restore, sustain, and pass on traditional knowledge.
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Environmental Stewardship

The College Fund invests in the TCUs that are engaged in strengthening their environmental science opportunities for students. It provides support for TCUs that are working with Native communities to develop and implement research initiatives and innovative collaborations.
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Indigenous Visionaries

By connecting Native women students at TCUs with faculty within their academic disciplines, and providing support for strong mentoring relationships, the College Fund is helping to develop the next generation of Native leadership in early childhood education, environmental science, and traditional Native arts.
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Infrastructure

Infrastructure involves design, implementation, and sustainability of systems and structures. We support tribal colleges and universities expanding their education offerings for students in this area, with opportunities to create well-designed learning spaces with the appropriate equipment, and to sustain or expand infrastructure.

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Student and Institutional Success

We invest in individual students to support their pursuit of a college degree, and we invest in TCUs as the institutions that can provide an intellectual and academic home for students in Native communities.
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Early Childhood Education Blogs

Indigenous ECE Family Engagement Webinar with Janice LaFloe

The American Indian College Fund’s Strategic Planning and Building TCU ECE Family Engagement Grant provides TCUs support for family engagement and wellness in Native communities during the pandemic. This may include sending families early childhood learning kits, organizing virtual story time or language lessons, or assisting families with meals and basic needs.

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