Partner Spotlight: Learning Grove

Learning Grove is a leading nonprofit advancing early learning, youth development, and family support across Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati. With 11 community-based early learning centers, robust before- and after-school programs, and innovative workforce development and family engagement initiatives, Learning Grove serves children from infancy through young adulthood. Guided by a commitment to equity, partnership, and research-based practice, the organization is building a stronger future for children, families, and the entire region.

Q. Tell us a little about your organization. Where are you located? Who do you serve and what do you focus on?

A. Learning Grove is a trusted nonprofit serving Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati. We operate 11 community-based early learning centers (7 in Ohio) offering care from infancy through preschool. We also provide highly effective before- and after-school programs across the region’s school districts and offer college and career readiness support for thousands of local high school students.

We serve a racially and socioeconomically diverse population, focusing on empowering young children, students, and families through high-quality, play-based, research-informed education that fosters social-emotional and critical thinking skills.

In addition, Learning Grove offers consultation and talent development through Learning Grove Solutions. This arm of our organization leverages our experience and expertise in early childhood, after-school, career guidance, and family support to assist child care and Head Start providers, teachers and schools, other service providers, and even private employers—sharing our unique vantage point on the interconnected systems that support early learning, health and mental health, school success, and work.

Q. When was your organization founded, and what inspired your mission?

A. Learning Grove was formed in 2019 through the strategic merger of Cincinnati Early Learning Centers and Children, Inc.—both with over 40 years of regional service. Our mission—to develop and support innovative, quality learning experiences that empower children, youth, and families across diverse communities in two states—was inspired by a shared vision to unify resources, elevate early learning, and build stronger futures across the region.

Q. What’s a recent project, program, or win that you're especially proud of?

A. Our work with partners brings us both inspiration and strength. At Learning Grove, we are committed to identifying barriers and areas that need improvement—and then collaborating to develop solutions that ensure we are offering the very best for children and families.

One example is our mentoring project with Cincinnati Preschool Promise. What began as an effort to develop strategies for supporting student teachers has grown into a framework we now use in our new teacher development. Similarly, our partnership with United Way revealed the need for much more intensive orientation training and ongoing coaching, which we are now embedding across our programs.

We also expanded our Early Head Start and Head Start services in partnership with Cincinnati Community Agency, allowing us to serve more children while launching a joint initiative to strengthen coaching practices and collaboration between our teams. In addition, support from the Community Learning Center Institute helped us design new programs that enhance the services we offer to families.

Our partners help make Learning Grove stronger. Together, we develop new strategies that not only improve our own programs but can also be shared more broadly to strengthen the early childhood field as a whole.

Q. What’s one issue you're keeping a close eye on right now?

A. We’re closely monitoring public sector support for child care, including family eligibility policies and reimbursement formulas. At 145% of the federal poverty level (FPL), Ohio has the lowest eligibility threshold for Publicly Funded Child Care in the entire nation and provides very limited state funding beyond the required federal match.

Of significant concern to Learning Grove are recent changes added late in the state budget that modify payment categories and time increments for Publicly Funded Child Care—creating new administrative challenges in an already underfunded system.

Q. How do you partner with families and communities in your work?

A. Families are our foundation. We know that parents are their child's first and most important teachers. We engage with families daily—supplementing our direct services—through resource coordination, mobile classroom outreach, community events, and partnerships that bring programs into neighborhood schools and into our own classrooms.

Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio?

A. We have been a partner and supporter of Groundwork almost since its inception. We rely on Groundwork Ohio for information about legislation, policies, and funding for children and families. We value the organization for its expertise and its ability to unite diverse voices for child and family policy. When we were able, we supported them financially at modest levels.

Q. What do you wish more people understood about the families you serve or the work you do?

A. We wish more people understood that our families aren’t looking for handouts—they’re looking for opportunities. They are deeply committed to giving their children the strongest possible start in life, but the challenges they face are often far more complex than most people realize. From navigating multiple jobs and childcare gaps to managing housing, healthcare, and transportation barriers, the daily realities can be overwhelming.

Our role is not to “fix” families, but to walk alongside them as partners. We start by listening—really listening—to what they see as their biggest challenges, and then we work together to connect them with resources and supports that make sense for their unique situation. In doing so, we remove barriers and create pathways forward.

At the heart of our work is more than childcare—it’s about trust, hope, and relationships. Families know they can count on us not only to care for their children but also to stand with them as they navigate complex systems and processes for their children.

Q. How do you work with other organizations or community partners to create change?

A. We collaborate with schools, businesses, and community agencies, and join regional and statewide initiatives like Groundwork Ohio to amplify impact across systems and strengthen access to high-quality early learning for families who need it most.

Q. What keeps your team inspired or grounded in this work?

A. We are focused on the belief that all children deserve access to quality early learning experiences regardless of zip code. We are inspired by the joy and resilience of children and families.  We are motivated to help children grow and develop and families succeed. Listening daily to families and working in communities with multiple partners keeps us grounded and reinforces the values that guide us every day: Roll up your sleeves. I’ve got your back. Do the right thing all the time.

Q. Why is advocacy important to your work?

A. Advocacy is essential to achieving Learning Grove’s mission. While we work closely with foundations, United Way, and individual donors to raise significant private support, those funds alone cannot sustain or scale our programs. Private dollars are critical for piloting innovative concepts and testing new strategies, but lasting impact requires stable public funding.

Influencing laws and policies at the federal and state levels is the only way to ensure that high-quality early childhood services are accessible to the families and children who need them most. Determined to support the work of our partners and to help lead system-level change, Learning Grove dedicates 1.5 FTE members of our executive team to drive and lead our advocacy efforts.

11. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child?

A. First, we need to develop a broad understanding of brain development in young children—how early we can influence it, and the incredible impact it has on future success. Most people want the best for children, but many don’t understand the difference between early learning and babysitting. Many policymakers believe if kids are safe and entertained, that is enough—but we know it is not. We struggle to get sufficient funding to provide the quality of early education that supports a child’s healthy growth and development.

Second, we need policies that ensure equitable access to programs, including eligibility levels, copays, and other enrollment requirements. It is extremely difficult, often impossible, for low-income working families to afford the care their children need.

To build widespread understanding of the importance of early brain development, we must engage a broad spectrum of stakeholders—parents, teachers, providers, business leaders, and the public. Where we have seen positive change in investment in Ohio, it has been driven by voters at the local level rather than state policymakers. We need that same sense of urgency and commitment at the state level to truly make Ohio the best place to be a young child.