The relationship between integrated early childhood development research & foundation funding trends: Findings, implications, and recommendations

This thesis explores the impact of child development research on foundation funding, specifically focusing on child development research that integrates multiple academic fields with neuroscience. Through semi-structured interviews with key informants in the foundation community, 80 percent of the sample suggested this type of research impacts funding decisions, while 60 percent viewed directing funding towards early childhood as more or equally important than other funding priorities. All respondents had a basic understanding of research conclusions from this field, whether or not early childhood was a funding priority. Interviewees referenced the importance of system change, outcomes, public policy, collaboration, sources of money for early childhood, and the economic context. Recommendations for funders and for continuing the discussion of early childhood research include methods for translating the interest in and awareness of early childhood into effective funding strategies despite the tenuous economy and without detracting from other funding areas