North Carolina Partnership for Children Inc.

THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES STATEWIDE OVERSIGHT OF NORTH CAROLINA'S SMART START EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE. SMART START IS A NETWORK OF 75 INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS SERVING ALL 100 NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES. THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN ENSURES FISCAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMPREHENSIVE, LONG-RANGE STRATEGIC PLANNING AT THE STATE LEVEL TO CREATE BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AGES BIRTH THROUGH FIVE. SMART START WORKS ACROSS THE STATE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION, COLLABORATE WITH FAMILIES TO REACH THEIR GOALS, IMPROVE CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND SUPPORT EARLY LITERACY FOR CHILDREN BEFORE THEY REACH KINDERGARTEN. THE NETWORK ALSO WORKS STATEWIDE TO PROVIDE VITAL EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION WORKFORCE SUPPORT AS WELL AS OTHER CRITICAL SYSTEM-LEVEL SUPPORTS. IT ADMINISTERS OTHER STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.