Strong Start for Kids

Starting kids off right

Contributing to a better future for kids

Why start early?

Strong Start for Kids theory of change

School age children of different ages walking down the street. Vanguard supports many children like this through our Strong Start for Kids and other volunteer programs.

Watch a brief video about the foundational principles that inform our approach to addressing persistent inequities in early childhood education.

Program drivers

Vanguard invests in resilient families, effective programs, and connected communities to achieve the goal of more children becoming school-ready.

Six years of investing in early childhood development

2022 marks the conclusion of six full years of early childhood investment since the inception of the Strong Start for Kids (SSfK) program.

Equity and inclusion

Vanguard fosters inclusion in four ways: Using our grants to counteract racial barriers, using our capital to draw more attention and dollars to inequity issue within child care and early education sector, engaging with diverse and inclusive list of thought partners and grantees, and recognizing the important role of providers of color in driving change.

A partnership of company and crew

A woman hugging a child.
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Vanguard is the trusted name in investing. Since our founding in 1975, we’ve put investors first.