Pinellas nonprofit granted $1M for early childhood education

United Way Suncoast announced a $1 million grant from PNC Foundation dedicated toward helping early childhood education needs. 

The grant will support the United We Learn initiative, which focuses on kindergarten readiness in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties. The readiness ensures that all children enter kindergarten on a level playing field through early childhood education programs. 

"When children enter kindergarten ready to learn, their chances of succeeding academically increase dramatically," says Jessica Muroff, CEO of United Way Suncoast in a release from the organization. "Currently, only half of the children entering kindergarten in the counties we serve are considered school-ready, making the need for early intervention even more urgent. As we embark on our second century of service, this generous grant from the PNC Foundation is a critical investment in the future of our community and will help us provide more children with the support they need to thrive."

UWS currently has a three year partnership with local Early Learning Coalitions and childcare providers in areas with a high concentration of asset-limited, income-constrained, employed families living above the poverty line but below a comfortable level of financial security. The childcare centers in this partnership will receive education materials, supplies and facility improvements and teachers will receive professional development opportunities.

Once the partnership concludes, partner sites will transition into the United4Literacy program, which provides educational games and materials designed to help children ages 3-5 build literacy skills and case management services to families at risk of homelessness, helping them maintain stable housing and prevent disruptions to their children's education.

The PNC Foundation provided the funds through its Grow Up Great philanthropic initiative, a $500 million program focused on children ages birth to five years old. 

Chad Loar, PNC regional president for West and Central Florida, mentioned earlier in the year that the Grow Up Great program was one of the bank’s priorities for 2025. 

“At PNC, we believe education is a powerful catalyst for economic and social mobility, and key to building a strong, vibrant community,” says Loar, UWS’s vice chair and a board member since 2022.

The United Way Suncoast chapter was founded in 1924 as the Tampa Welfare League and Community Chest. At the end of fiscal year 2023, the organization had invested $11 million into 400 different partnerships and initiatives.