Five and Under Initiative Criteria

The 5 & Under Initiative: Access to Opportunity for Children in Poverty supports high impact educational programs designed to improve the lives of impoverished children five years and younger by addressing the root causes of poverty. Grant awards are made to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving families with children five years of age and younger living in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.

The programs funded focus directly on the children, their parents, or early childhood educators, provided when the focus is on the adults, there is a direct impact on the economic circumstances or prospects of the children. Educational programs are identified for the focus because education is an effective strategy for interrupting the cycle of poverty.