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First Children's Finance Group at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

First Children's Finance Group

FIRST CHILDREN'S FINANCE GROUP (fcf) grows the supply and sustainability of high-quality child care by strengthening the business and financial foundations of the sector.

$2.1M
Granted FY2025still arriving
69
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$96k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its fieldRead
04Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
01FY2025 · 69 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 69 grants below total $1,501,961, the rows itemized in this filing. The $2,105,762 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $603,801 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k20 grants · $149k
  • $10k–50k45 grants · $1.1M
  • $50k–250k4 grants · $250k
$15,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$7.2M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
ONE ARTS INC$96,000
OTTER CREEK CHILD CENTER INC$54,000
PLANETARY ART INSTITUTE$50,000
MATER CHRISTI SCHOOL$50,000
CURIOUS KIDS CHILDCARE LLC$48,046
THE GROWING TREE LLC$45,000
VIP ROOTS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER$45,000
EJ'S KIDS KLUB INC$45,000
RIVER BRANCH$40,298
RAINBOW GARDENS$39,421
TURTLE ISLAND$36,056
IMMERSION MONTESSORI SCHOOL LLC$36,000
MYERS PROUTY CHILDREN'S CAMPUSES INC$36,000
OVERLAKE DAY SCHOOL (DBA THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOL)$35,271
EDGAR MAY$34,210
02The need
02

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY25–25, $194k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 69% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%ARLINGTON AREA CHILD CARE CENTER INC: $8k → 11%MJCC MARY JOHNSON CHILDRENS CENTER: $17k → 9%TURTLE ISLAND: $36k → 9%NECK OF THE WOODS: $13k → 9%PITTSFORD VILLAGE FARM: $15k → 12%NECK OF THE WOODS: $8k → 9%WINDSOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER DBA BRIDGING THE GAP: $17k → 9%CLUBHOUSE KIDS: $6k → 9%RIVER BRANCH: $40k → 9%CRAFTSBURY SAPLINGS: $8k → 14%THE MILL SCHOOL: $19k → 9%WOODSTOCK COMMUNITY PLAYSCHOOL INC: $8k → 9%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Robins Nest Children's Center

Robins Nest Childrens Center provides high-quality early care and education in a play-based setting.

Human Services
2
Mountain Tots Preschool

Mountain Tots preschool provides high quality early learning enrichment programs that enhances educational, social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development as well as Kindergarten-readiness. We provide preschool and childcare…

Education
3
Howland Community Preschool Inc

To educate children

Education
4
Northpoint Cooperative Preschool

The general philosophy of Northpoint Cooperative Preschool is that we all learn together - adults and children alike. Guided by our qualified, caring, and endlessly imaginative teachers, co-op parents create an environment of learning and…

—
5
Woodside Nursery School

Woodside Nursery School is a cooperative preschool dedicated to providing a nurturing, play-based learning environment that fosters social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development in young children. Our mission is to cultivate…

Education
6
Northeast Kingdom Preschool and Childcare Corp

Northeast kingdom preschool and childcare provides safe, affordable, high-quality early childhood education and care for the lyndonville, vt and surrounding communities. families are encouraged to be ambassadors of the program in support…

Education
7
Monarch Preschool Inc

Monarch Preschool offers a unique play-based learning experience for your child. Play-based, child-led education supports social and emotional development, strengthens language and numeracy skills, and inspires a life-long love of learning.

—
8
Mountain Playschool Inc
—
9
Merrimack Valley Day Care Service

Daycare services

—
10
Little Beginnings Child Development Ctr

Little Beginnings provides pre kindergarten and day care to children under 6 years of age. We believe that learning and playing are synonymous for the preschool age child. Young children learn best when they have an opportunity to practice…

—
11
The Schoolhouse Learning Center Inc

A PreK childcare center and KG-Grade 8 school that values each students unique learning experience, fostering academic excellence, emotional intelligence, and social and environmental justice through five core concepts trust, sharing,…

—
12
Sandy Hook Child Care Center

Sandy hook child care center is a fully licensed, parent run, nonprofit, certified nature child care center and preschool run from the historic fort hancock in gateway national park

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Turtle Island Children's Center Inc; the most unlike its peers is Planetary Art Institute Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
03the grantee network

26 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 26 of the 66 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
4
Early backer (in before they grew)
26/26
Grantees still filing
5/26
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Otter Creek Child Center Inc: $54,000 · OtherOtter Creek Child Center IncMater Christi School: $50,000 · OtherCURIOUS KIDS CHILDCARE LLC: $48,046 · OtherEJ'S KIDS KLUB INC: $45,000 · OtherVIP ROOTS CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: $45,000 · OtherTHE GROWING TREE LLC: $45,000 · OtherIMMERSION MONTESSORI SCHOOL LLC: $36,000 · OtherOverlake Day School Inc: $35,271 · OtherKID SAVVY FAMILY CHILDCARE: $33,750 · OtherGOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH AND LITTLE LAMBS: $33,750 · OtherBAMBINO UNIVERSITY: $32,250 · Other+33 more: $489,603 · Other+33 morePB&J Inc DBA River Branch Community School: $40,298 · Human ServicesPB&J Inc DBA R…TURTLE ISLAND CHILDREN'S CENTER INC: $36,056 · Human ServicesTURTLE ISLAND …NECK OF THE WOODS INC: $20,402 · Human ServicesNECK OF THE WO…COMMUNITY FOR WOODSTOCK: $18,750 · Human ServicesCOMMUNITY FOR …Mary Johnson Children's Center Inc: $17,058 · Human ServicesMary Johnson C…WINDSOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER INC: $16,934 · Human ServicesWINDSOR EARLY …Rutland County Parent Child Center Inc: $15,146 · Human ServicesRutland County…CRAFTSBURY SAPLINGS INC: $8,000 · Human ServicesARLINGTON AREA CHILDCARE INC: $7,500 · Human ServicesWoodstock Community Playschool Inc DBA Rainbow Playschool: $7,500 · Human ServicesMORRISTOWN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM: $6,480 · Human ServicesONE ARTS INC: $129,750 · Arts & CultureONE ARTS INCPLANETARY ART INSTITUTE INC: $50,000 · Arts & CulturePLANETARY ART…WHOLE CHILD LEARNING CO: $39,421 · EducationMYERS PROUTY CHILDREN'S CAMPUSES INC: $36,000 · EducationNEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLHOUSE OF BRATTLEBORO INC: $15,000 · EducationHILLTOP MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC: $8,250 · EducationSOUTHERN VERMONT HEALTH AND RECREATION CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $34,210 · Community ImprovementVALLEY HUB INC: $15,000 · Community ImprovementFRANKLIN HOMESTEAD INC: $16,785 · Housing & ShelterSOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER: $9,475 · HealthCommon Roots Inc: $6,276 · Food & Nutrition
Other$947,670Human Services$194,124Arts & Culture$179,750Education$98,671Community Improvement$49,210Housing & Shelter$16,785Health$9,475Food & Nutrition$6,276

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetONE ARTS INC: $129,750 over 1y, 7.9% of budgetOtter Creek Child Center Inc: $54,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetTURTLE ISLAND CHILDREN'S CENTER INC: $36,056 over 1y, 1.9% of budgetOverlake Day School Inc: $35,271 over 1y, 14% of budgetSOUTHERN VERMONT HEALTH AND RECREATION CENTER FOUNDATION INC: $34,210 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetSTARKSBORO COOP PRESCHOOL INC: $31,500 over 1y, 6.9% of budgetNECK OF THE WOODS INC: $20,402 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOR WOODSTOCK: $18,750 over 1y, 4.1% of budgetMary Johnson Children's Center Inc: $17,058 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetFRANKLIN HOMESTEAD INC: $16,785 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetRutland County Parent Child Center Inc: $15,146 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetNEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLHOUSE OF BRATTLEBORO INC: $15,000 over 1y, 2.0% of budgetSOUTHWESTERN VERMONT MEDICAL CENTER: $9,475 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetHILLTOP MONTESSORI SCHOOL INC: $8,250 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetCRAFTSBURY SAPLINGS INC: $8,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetARLINGTON AREA CHILDCARE INC: $7,500 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetWoodstock Community Playschool Inc DBA Rainbow Playschool: $7,500 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetMORRISTOWN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM: $6,480 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetCommon Roots Inc: $6,276 over 1y, 0.9% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Let's Grow Kids IncBuilding Bright Futur…First Children's Fina…Vermont Afterschool I…The Vermont Community…Vt Association for th…Vermont Childrens Tru…Seventh Generation Fo…The Couch Family Foun…Turrell FundBen & Jerry's Foundat…Fidelity Investments …
Let's Grow Kids IncVT52.8× affinity23 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Let's Grow Kids Inc · Building Bright Futures State Advisory Council · First Children's Finance · Vermont Afterschool Inc · The Vermont Community Foundation · Vt Association for the Education of Young Children · Vermont Childrens Trust Foundation · Seventh Generation Foundation Inc · The Couch Family Foundation · Turrell Fund · Ben & Jerry's Foundation Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization First Children's Finance Group funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from First Children's Finance Group. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 50%1%4%8%15%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →median 32%
  • Arlington Area Childcare Inc: 78% of income from government
  • Myers Prouty Children's Campuses Inc: 78% of income from government
  • Puffer Child Care Center Inc: 61% of income from government
  • Mary Johnson Children's Center Inc: 54% of income from government
  • Rutland County Parent Child Center Inc: 50% of income from government
  • One Arts Inc: 48% of income from government
  • Craftsbury Saplings Inc: 40% of income from government
  • Otter Creek Child Center Inc: 32% of income from government
  • Starksboro Coop Preschool Inc: 30% of income from government
  • Neck of the Woods Inc: 26% of income from government
  • Turtle Island Children's Center Inc: 25% of income from government
  • Overlake Day School Inc: 20% of income from government
  • Hilltop Montessori School Inc: 5% of income from government
  • Southwestern Vermont Medical Center: 1% of income from government
  • Common Roots Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
5get no government money at all
6report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
4rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–90%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.
04Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to First Children's Finance Group?

Find your warmest path to First Children's Finance Group through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 66 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on First Children's Finance Group’s filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home