The Center for Early Learning at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation has announced a $1.5 million grant from the Pritzker Children's Initiative, a national project of the J.B. and M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation.

The grant will support a three-year effort to make early learning for California's youngest children a state budget and policy priority. To that end, the center will partner with legislators, scholars, and community leaders to promote research, public opinion data, and key messages that make the case for increased investments in high-quality early-learning programs. In addition, the initiative will engage California gubernatorial candidates prior to the 2018 election to ensure they have a keen appreciation of the long-term benefits of investing in high-quality early-learning programs.

"California has the opportunity to lead the way for the nation to achieve meaningful impact on behalf of low-income children and their families," said SVCF president and CEO Emmett D. Carson. "This partnership with the Pritzker Children's Initiative will position California to improve educational outcomes in the short run and employment opportunities in the long run by investing in early learning for our youngest, most vulnerable children."