Florida Center for Early Childhood

What Florida Center for Early Childhood does

The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, that delivers an integrated portfolio of therapeutic, educational, and family-support services for young children and their caregivers. Its program ecosystem spans eight lines: Starfish Academy (a nationally accredited inclusion preschool for children 6 weeks to 5 years with on-site speech-language and occupational therapy), Developmental Therapies (diagnostic and therapeutic services for children birth through 5th grade covering autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, FASD, and other delays), Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Healthy Families (a home visiting program across Sarasota, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee counties serving roughly 500 families annually), Early Childhood Court, the FASD Clinic (Florida's only statewide diagnostic network, operating since 2005 with clinics in Sarasota, Orlando, and Pensacola), School-Based Mental Health (therapists embedded in Sarasota and Manatee elementary schools), and the Florida Center Training Institute. Service delivery is grounded in evidence-based methodologies rather than proprietary technology platforms: infant and early childhood mental health approaches, trauma-informed care, and FASD-informed clinical practices.

The organization operates four service locations (Sarasota headquarters, North Port, Orlando, Pensacola), employs more than 125 staff, and serves approximately 4,500 children and families each year, with more than 85% of clients classified as ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) or living at or below the poverty line. Revenue is assembled from five streams: individual and corporate donations (including a monthly sustainer program), foundation grants (Florida Blue Foundation, Wilson-Wood, Reinhart, Curran, Barancik, Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation, The Patterson Foundation), government contracts (Florida Department of Children and Families, Healthy Families Florida), special-events fundraising (the annual Wonder Gala raised approximately $600,000 in December 2025), and program fees via VPK vouchers, Early Learning Coalition scholarships, and Step Up for Students Family Empowerment Scholarships, with services provided regardless of ability to pay. CEO Dr. Kristie Skoglund has led the organization since September 2020, and the board is chaired by Eddie Pérez-Ruberté.

Name

Florida Center for Early Childhood

Legal name

The Florida Center for Early Childhood, Inc.

Website

https://thefloridacenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 in Sarasota, Florida, delivering integrated developmental therapies, mental health services, early childhood education, home visiting, and Florida's only statewide FASD diagnostic network to more than 4,500 children and families annually across southwest and central Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early childhood services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Developmental Therapy / Early Childhood Special Instruction (EDACAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Special Needs Early Intervention & Preschool Programs (EDAKAAAE), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Early childhood education
• Developmental therapies
• Infant mental health
• Home visiting programs
• FASD diagnostic services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations including a monthly giving sustainer program. The organization received $31,000 unrestricted gift from Greystar and collects donations through Amazon Smile.
2. Foundation Grants: Major grants from private and community foundations including Wilson-Wood Foundation ($10,000), Reinhart Foundation ($7,500), Curran Family Foundation ($12,000), Florida Blue Foundation ($400,000), Lakewood Ranch Community Foundation ($6,500), Barancik Foundation ($7,500), Community Foundation of Sarasota County ($7,500), and Patterson Foundation capacity-building support.
3. Government Contracts and Public Funding: Funding from government entities including Florida Department of Children and Families, Healthy Families Florida program funding, and support through public health initiatives.
4. Special Events Fundraising: Annual Wonder Gala events with ticket sales ($375 per individual) and sponsorship opportunities. The 2025 Wonder Gala raised nearly $600,000.
5. Program Fees and Voucher Programs: Accepts VPK vouchers, Early Learning Coalition Child Care Connection Scholarships, Step Up for Students Family Empowerment Scholarships (FES-UA), and private pay. Services are provided regardless of ability to pay.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a nonprofit organization that delivers integrated early childhood services through eight programs: a nationally accredited inclusion preschool (Starfish Academy), speech-language and occupational developmental therapies, infant and early childhood mental health counseling, a home visiting program for at-risk families (Healthy Families), an Early Childhood Court program for children in the welfare system, Florida's only statewide Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders diagnostic and support clinic, school-based mental health services in elementary schools, and a Training Institute for early childhood professionals. Services are delivered to children from birth through fifth grade and their families, primarily across southwest Florida.

Product overview

The Florida Center for Early Childhood is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of integrated early childhood services rather than a single unified product. The organization operates eight distinct programs: Starfish Academy (nationally accredited inclusion preschool), Developmental Therapies (speech-language and occupational therapy), Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health services, Healthy Families (home visiting program), Early Childhood Court (welfare system support), FASD Clinic (the state's only statewide diagnostic network), School-Based Mental Health, and the Florida Center Training Institute. These programs work together as a coordinated ecosystem providing early education, developmental therapies, mental health counseling, and family support, with services designed to be accessed together for the whole child and family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starfish Academy: A nationally accredited, inclusion preschool for children 6 weeks to five years with locations in Sarasota and North Port.
• Developmental Therapies
• Healthy Families
• Healthy Families Sarasota, Charlotte, and DeSoto/Hardee
• Early Childhood Court
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Clinic
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
• School-Based Mental Health
• The Florida Center Training Institute
• Wonder Gala

Products and services

• Starfish Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of Starfish Academy graduates enter kindergarten ready to learn
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Healthy Families Florida / Healthy Families AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida Center serves as lead agency for three Healthy Families programs serving four counties. These programs are part of a statewide network of nationally accredited home visiting programs. Healthy Families America is sponsored by Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and Florida Department of Children and Families.
• Sarasota County School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide school-based mental health therapists in local elementary schools, keeping high-risk children in school and helping them meet academic milestones through multi-generational therapy.
• Early Learning Coalition of Sarasota CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing child care connection scholarships and supporting early learning initiatives in Sarasota County.
• Manatee CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner supporting community initiatives and services for children and families.
• Sarasota CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty government partner providing support for local early childhood initiatives.
• Sarasota County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for school-based mental health program and other collaborative initiatives supporting students.
• Prevent Child Abuse FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-host of Prevention Convention (PCON) with Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida and The Florida Center.
• Ounce of Prevention Fund of FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide nonprofit co-hosting Prevention Convention and sponsoring Healthy Families America programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Zero to Three: National nonprofit focused on early childhood development policy, training, and clinical resources for infants and toddlers. Comparable because the Florida Center's infant/early childhood mental health practice aligns with Zero to Three's clinical frameworks and training ecosystem.
• Parents as Teachers: National nonprofit network providing home-visiting parent education services for early childhood. Comparable because the Florida Center operates Healthy Families home visiting programs and Parents as Teachers represents an adjacent home visiting model serving similar at-risk families.

Direct peers

• Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based nonprofit providing child welfare, early childhood, and family support services including home visiting and early childhood mental health. Comparable in multi-county service delivery and integrated early childhood and family support mission.
• Bright Beginnings: Washington, D.C.-area nonprofit providing early childhood education, family services, and developmental support for young children experiencing homelessness and poverty. Comparable in mission and integrated family-centered service model for at-risk early childhood populations.
• Children's Institute (Los Angeles): Los Angeles nonprofit integrating early childhood education, developmental therapies, and mental health services for young children and families impacted by adversity. Directly comparable in delivering wraparound developmental and mental health services to vulnerable early-childhood populations.
• Children's Home Society of California: Long-established California nonprofit providing adoption, foster care, early childhood mental health, and family support services. Comparable in nonprofit child welfare and early childhood mental health service portfolio.
• Kindering: Bellevue, WA-based nonprofit providing early childhood developmental services including speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, mental health, and inclusive early learning for children birth to age five. Closely comparable in mission, integrated service model, and age range served.
• Crittenton Children's Center: Kansas City-based nonprofit providing children's behavioral health, early childhood, and family services. Comparable in integrated mental health and early childhood programming for at-risk children and families.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: National nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including early intervention and family support. Comparable because it serves overlapping populations (children with developmental disabilities) through similar therapy and family-centered approaches, though at broader national scale.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit network providing disability and developmental services, early childhood education, and therapy across many states. Comparable because it serves overlapping populations (children with developmental delays, disabilities) with similar therapy and inclusion models, though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLn8rBSGXZelecYLZS0kMlmm5EH_uSP4hI
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheFloridaCenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefloridacenter
• Xx.com/theflacenter

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida Center for Early Childhood