Focus Area: Early Childhood

Grant Amount: $10,000

Located in St. Louis Park. Rise Early is an innovative high-quality childcare center in the Rise on 7 affordable housing development in St. Louis Park, which was built by Commonbond Communities. Rise Early has joined with CommonBond and Way to Grow to support child development and provide housing, wellness, and education resources for the families served. Scholarships and childcare slots are prioritized for children from families with fewer resources and who are residents.

Grant supports the Rise Early childhood program, which aims to provide holistic and equitable support to young children from families of varying incomes, races, ethnicities, religions, and cultures. Rise Early has developed a robust professional development program for its staff, with the goal of reducing staff turnover and increasing staff diversity through ongoing coaching and training opportunities. The program recognizes the importance of having racially and ethnically diverse staff and uses an array of workforce development strategies to attract and retain diverse talent.