I’m excited to share our newly released 2025 Impact Report, which highlights the achievements of Building Bright Futures and our 500-person network over the past year, as well as providing an overview of our finances and recognizing our donors.
Your support is essential to our work for Vermont children and families! Would you consider including Building Bright Futures in your year-end giving?
Here are a few highlights of what we accomplished this year:
- BBF stewarded the process of developing Vermont’s Early Childhood Strategic Plan 2030 with input from hundreds of families, early childhood professionals, and other partners across Vermont.
- We advised the Legislature and decision-makers more than 250 times on over 20 policy issues during the 2024–2025 biennium. We will be releasing our 2026 Policy Recommendations in the next few weeks.
- BBF published The State of Vermont’s Children: 2024 Year in Review, a data brief on interagency collaboration in Vermont, and an Act 76 Monitoring Report. We also hosted an Early Childhood Grand Rounds Seminar on monitoring Act 76.
- Our Vermont Early Childhood Fund (VECF) awarded more than $5.4 million in grants through the federal Preschool Development Grant in the past fiscal year. Funds were distributed to 60 organizations across Vermont to meet a variety of needs.
- Our 12 Regional Councils brought together partners from across the state to review priorities for children and families, identify gaps, and work toward solutions. This included hosting a Statewide Regional Council Summit with 120 attendees.
- We launched two new online resources: an Early Childhood Needs Assessment Directory and a tracking tool to monitor legislation being considered in Montpelier related to early childhood.
“The support through Regional Council meetings has been great over the last year. Bringing events like Dabble Day to life for families in our region has a huge impact.” —A participant in our 2025 Network Partner Survey
“The State of Vermont’s Children is an excellent way for us to say how we’re doing in our county compared to the rest of the state and the nation.” —A participant in our 2025 Network Partner Survey
Thank you for helping us to support Vermont’s young children and families in 2025. We look forward to another productive year ahead! Please donate today so that BBF can continue using evidence to inform policy, bringing early childhood partners together, and empowering family leadership.
Testimonials from VECF Grant Recipients
“I’m using what I learned about emotional regulation with kids every single day—it’s making a difference in how we connect.” —Educator at Arlington Area Childcare, a VECF grantee
“We’ve seen such a shift in the classroom this year—our child is calmer at drop-off, and the teachers are really in sync.” —Parent of an Arlington Area Childcare student
Through Group Theraplay, “the children experience the kind of consistent, attuned connection that fosters resilience and psychological growth. They are seen, valued, and delighted in—not for what they do, but simply for who they are. It brings out the best in each child and reinforces a joyful sense of belonging. This is what makes these groups not just play, but therapeutic play: every moment is intentionally crafted to support healing, connection, and growth.” —Champlain Center for Play Therapy and Family Counseling, a VECF grantee
