Challenge
The Directors of the Addison County Directors Network needed to understand the current experience of the early childhood educators at their centers. They asked the Moxie team to research the experience of educators and test out concepts. One of the concepts tested and later implemented was called the community potluck fund.
The Community Potluck Fund, was inspired by the research and conversations with local business owners and early childhood educators. A potluck is a meal where people bring their favorite dish or what they have to offer. As with a potluck, businesses could contribute in-kind donations or money, to the Community Potluck Fund to support early childhood education in Vermont.
Approach
- Qualitative interviews at 24 local for-profit and non-profit organizations.
- Chalkboard survey: in-person silent surveys with educators.
- Wellness survey (a follow up method based on learnings around wellness).
Impact
- The fund is now co-organized with Vermont Birth to Five (part of the Vermont Community Foundation) and Addison County’s counseling service.
- Childcare centers in Addison County now pool resources for services such as human resources, buildings & grounds and professional development.
- One of the Moxie researchers, published an article about early childhood educators by the Center for American Progress drawing on our research.
- 10 of the 24 businesses committed to in-kind donations by the end of our collaboration.
"The research and idea for the Community Potluck Fund was born through our collaboration with Moxie. That seed moved us towards the Addison County Early Childhood Business Partnership - a consortium that is pooling resources to make our Early Childhood Education businesses more nimble and efficient by working together. The benefits and concept we created with Moxie are still in place for teachers and organizations."