For good. For ever. SM. We are a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Northwest Mississippi. Our mission is to Impact communities.

For good. For ever.SM

We are a tax-exempt public charity created by and forthe people of Northwest Mississippi.

Our mission is to

Impact communities by connecting people who care

with causes that matter

2000 Born out of a cooperative project to place an online computer in every DeSoto County classroom

today One of nearly 700 community foundations in the United States

• Serving citizens across the region• More than $6 million in assets• Divided among more than 50 funds

› More than $2 million in local grants over the last three years

› And growing!

2002 Incorporated to serve 8 counties in Northwest MS: Coahoma, DeSoto, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tunica and Tate

foundation

facts A brief history

SERVING AN 8 COUNTY AREA

10% of the

STATE’SLand Mass

andPeople

Mississippi’s Economy and Education

• Highest poverty rate in the nation

• Lowest per capita income in the nation

• Each Mississippian had $9,570 less in income than the average American

• 53 percent of this difference is due SOLELY to lower levels of education

» “Miles to Go: Mississippi” Southern Education Foundation (2006)

“There is no better investment for the state’s future economic

and social progress than beginning to provide

state-supported Pre-K for all young children.”

• “Miles To Go: Mississippi,” Southern Education Foundation (2006)

Developing the Workforce of 2025 begins NOW

The child’s brain is NOT a The child’s brain is NOT a smaller version of an smaller version of an adult brain.adult brain.

• Neurons are not yet Neurons are not yet fully insulated.fully insulated.

• Neurons are still Neurons are still moving into positions.moving into positions.

• Synapse development Synapse development is exploding.is exploding.

State Support for Early Childhood

Education Programs

Kentucky gives $18.1 million in state funds to serve at- risk four-year-oldsKentucky gives $18.1 million in state funds to serve at- risk four-year-olds

Louisiana gives $43.8 million in state funds to serve at-risk children in certain parishesLouisiana gives $43.8 million in state funds to serve at-risk children in certain parishes

Oklahoma gives $64.1 million in state funds to serve all four-year-oldsOklahoma gives $64.1 million in state funds to serve all four-year-olds

Tennessee has ADDED $25 million annually for pre-K since 2004Tennessee has ADDED $25 million annually for pre-K since 2004

Mississippi gives $0 and is the ONLY SOUTHERN STATE WITHOUT Mississippi gives $0 and is the ONLY SOUTHERN STATE WITHOUT A STATE PRE-K PROGRAMA STATE PRE-K PROGRAM

Arkansas Pre-K beginning

• Entergy Arkansas commissioned a study in 2002 of costs and benefits of Pre-K

• Cost per child for two years of Pre-K would be $9,380

• Return per child to the state would be $86,059• Business leaders teamed with child advocacy

groups to secure state funding• High-quality, voluntary pre-k system for all the

state's three and four year olds would require a total of $226 million and return about $2 billion

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in 2007

• “Although education and the acquisition of skills is a lifelong process, starting early in life is crucial.”

• “Recent research…has documented the high returns that early childhood programs can pay in terms of subsequent educational attainment and in lower rates of social problems, such as teenage pregnancy and welfare dependency.”

FIRST REGIONAL LIBRARY EARLY CHILDHOOD

RESOURCE & REFERRAL CENTER

$200,000 CHALLENGE GRANT FROM THE PHIL HARDIN FOUNDATION

To Create $1 million PERMANENT Endowment FOR

Early Childhood Education

“The most promising and powerful place to improve education outcomes,” Miles To Go: Mississippi Report

Young Children in 8 NW Miss. counties

• Children Ages 0 to 4 (est. 2005 Census) 22,406• Number of Licensed Child Care Center Slots

12,065• Number of Licensed Child Care Centers147(including 22 Head Start Programs)• Public Libraries 20 • Early Head Start Programs 4• Number of Schools w/ School District Funded Pre-K Programs 5

What is a Child Care Resource and Referral

system?• R&R’s bring the voices of children,

families, and child care providers to the public

What We Do– Give parents referrals

to local child care providers and family providers

– Have information on state licensing requirements

– Provide resources to child care providers/ family providers and families

– Provide guidance by phone, in person, and in other ways, such as the internet, that are tailored to each individual family.

– Provide trainings to child care providers/ family providers and families

First Regional Library Early Childhood R&R in 2007

• Provided 30 training sessions for 625 child care workers from 137 centers in 17 counties

• Distributed 1,294 Born To Read bags to new mothers for their babies

• Created 75 Storytime kits for centers• Offered Mother Reads program in jail• Technical aid to 9 centers in Between the

Lions statewide project

MADDOX FOUNDATION ENDOWMENT MATCHING

GRANT

• $10 MILLION COMMITMENT

The Phil Hardin story

The power ofThe power ofendowment endowment fundingfunding

giving back

people The power of endowment funding

Meridian Bakery Owner

Left it to foundation for education of all Mississippians

Endowment established with $6.9 million in 1976

Foundation has given away 5% of it every year

Background:

The growth of the Phil Hardin Foundation

1976 2006

$42 Million

giving back

people

Grants of More

Than $42 Million

$6.9 Million

Endowment has Grown to $42 million!

The power of endowment funding

To learn more about us, call (662) 449.5002 or contact us [email protected]

For good. For ever.SM

© 2002 Council on Foundations and Community Foundations of America