Think Small

Think Small is daring to think BIG for young children. And we invite YOU to think BIG with us. At Think Small, we work with the adults who most affect children—parents, providers and policymakers - and every decision we make is through the lens of what children need and deserve to be happy and successful in life.

What is Thinking BIG?

Thinking BIG is about finding solutions, answers, and ideas to create the change we want for our children, for our families, and for our communities. Minnesota continues to have one of the worst achievement gaps in the nation with research showing gaps starting in children well before their 1st birthday. We also know that children from low-income families face the steepest obstacles to success and that too many children start kindergarten behind and never catch up.

In order to create the change we seek, Think Small knows that to think BIG is to do BIG.  This is why Think Small is seeking to make a population-level change to ensure that all children in Minnesota are ready for kindergarten.

Think Small’s mission is to advance quality care and education of children in their crucial early years.

We do this in three ways:

1. Early Childhood Professionals by offering a range of professional development training, quality coaching, and high-quality resources and reading materials.
2. Strengthening Families by connecting them to high-quality care through child care assistance, Early Learning Scholarships, and family engagement opportunities.
3. Catalyzing Change by being a leader at the state and local levels in advancing issues of access and quality in the early childhood field.
   
   

We believe that if young children have access to high-quality child care with sufficient dosage, they will be ready for kindergarten.   As part of our new strategic plan, over the next 5 years, we will boldly position our work with our partners—creating a sense of urgency—to do everything we can to ensure our collective work helps prepare ALL children for kindergarten.  

We know that Think Small is only part of the solution.  Eliminating opportunity gaps and preparing children for kindergarten is a big job--which is why we are thinking BIG, but we intend to contribute to that important goal by holding ourselves and our work accountable and we need your help.  

Moving Minnesota forward in the right direction.

There’s still more ground to cover. Your gift will keep Think Small moving forward as we:

1. Design state-of-the-art content and embrace new delivery methods to engage parents in their children’s learning and help providers boost quality; 
2. Develop innovations that help establish new child care programs and financially stabilize existing ones; and 
3. Use our voice, and teach others how to use theirs, to help Minnesota shape an early childhood system that is equitable and provides all children with safe places for learning.

We need YOU to think BIG with us.

Improving kindergarten readiness best practices in early learning and care programs is a smart and effective way to help close persistent gaps and to make sure all children are ready to succeed in school and in life.  

Your tax-deductible gift in any amount—helps us visualize BIG dreams and accomplish BIG goals.   We invite you to partner with us and dare with us by thinking BIG, acting BIG, achieving BIG, and giving BIG with a gift today.    If you do, you will see BIG results in BIG ways in the lives of our children.

Your contribution supports Think Small’s daily work of preparing providers, strengthening families, and catalyzing change. 

Thank you.

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