Grant to help with parenting education
The Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative, a multiyear grant program partnership among four of Oregon’s largest foundations (The Oregon Community Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust and The Collins Foundation) and Oregon State University awarded more than $1.6 million in grants to organizations around the state to support the delivery of high-quality parenting education programs.
Grants will also help develop and strengthen collaborations among providers through regional parenting education “Hubs.”
Study after study has found that healthy and effective parenting ensures that children have a strong foundation for success in school and in life. Oregon has many excellent programs for parents, but the field is frequently fragmented and funding can be inconsistent: Thus, the need for strategies that encourage collaboration, planning and more effective use of resources.
“Investment in strong parenting is a critical strategy for ensuring that all children are ready to learn,” said Mary Louise McClintock, Director of Education Programs at OCF. “Through OPEC, we are excited to be able to offer support to a large part of the state to ensure these parenting education programs are strong and effective.”
In 2014, an OPEC expansion increased the number of parenting education Hubs to 15, now serving 27 counties in Oregon and also Siskiyou County, California. Hub recipient organizations are building their region’s parenting education infrastructure and expanding offerings of best practice parenting education programs for parents of children prenatal to age six.
In Central Oregon, OPEC awarded $60,000 to the Central Oregon Family Resource Center in Bend to serve Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties.
