The Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative, which includes Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), has received a three-year grant of 900-thousand dollars in continuing support for the 10-year-old collaborative effort of the Minnesota Initiative Foundations.
        
Each of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations will receive 150-thousand dollars over three years through this grant.

Working to improve early childhood outcomes for children statewide, the Minnesota Early Childhood Initiative is composed of 90 coalitions based in more than 300 sites, each coordinating activities tailored to their specific region. These funds are to continue the statewide network and connections developed by the ECIs.

Currently, SMIF supports 21 Early Childhood Initiative communities throughout its 20-county region.

Over the past nine years, SMIF has invested over $1 million annually for early childhood development initiatives