Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region
The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region is a Florida 501c3 non-profit designated to administer state-funded Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness tuition assistance programs for children birth to age five across seven northern Florida counties, serving families and 263 contracted child care providers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersTallahassee, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region does
The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region (ELC) is a Florida 501c3 non-profit corporation incorporated on September 23, 2014, and headquartered at 2639 North Monroe Street, Building C-300, Tallahassee, Florida. ELC is the designated local implementing agency for the State of Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness programs across seven counties in northern Florida's Big Bend Region: Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla. The organization administers tuition assistance for child care, free VPK education for 4-year-olds (540 instructional hours in school year format or 300 in summer format), Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R), and developmental health screenings for children from birth to age five. In the 2024-2025 program year, ELC enrolled 2,660 children in VPK and 6,122 children in School Readiness, contracted with 263 child care providers, and distributed 3,451 books to support literacy — representing approximately $31.2 million in economic investment in quality early education.
ELC's product and service portfolio is delivered through a hybrid physical-digital distribution model. Five service centers across the region (Leon in Tallahassee, Wakulla in Crawfordville, Gadsden in Quincy, Taylor in Perry, Madison) provide in-person intake, eligibility determination, and family support. Digital channels include a CCR&R hotline (1-866-973-9030), 24/7 online intake forms via JotForm, the statewide DEL Family Portal for enrollment acceptance, and the DEL Provider Portal for provider contracts and attendance reporting. All services are free to families and providers. Signature community programs include the Kidpreneur Summer Business Learning Program (ages 8-12, in partnership with the Capital City Chamber of Commerce) and the Color Me Blue Kid's Art Auction Event, which serve both programmatic and fundraising functions.
ELC's business model is structured around state and federal government grants, primarily channeled through the Florida Division of Early Learning (DEL), supplemented by donations from individuals, businesses, and community partners via signature events. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors, with the Governor of Florida appointing the board chair and two additional members. Leadership includes an Executive Director (Lizbeth Murphy), Chief Operations Officer (Kara Palmer Smith), Chief Financial Officer (Felicia Milton), Chief Risk & Accountability Officer (Reginal Williams), and Chief Program Officer (Arnold McKay). The annual operating budget is approximately $36 million (referenced in multiple employment postings), with operational scale of 11-50 employees and an extensive partner ecosystem spanning 30+ community organizations including United Way of the Big Bend, CareerSource North Florida, and the Northwest Florida Health Network.
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region
- Legal name
- Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region, Inc.
- Website
- https://elcbigbend.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region is a Florida 501c3 non-profit designated to administer state-funded Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) and School Readiness tuition assistance programs for children birth to age five across seven northern Florida counties, serving families and 263 contracted child care providers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (6244), Educational Services (61), Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)
Keywords
Where Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tallahassee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Contracts: ELC receives annual funding from the State of Florida Division of Early Learning (DEL) to administer School Readiness and VPK programs. The organization is a private not-for-profit that receives state and federal funding for childcare tuition assistance programs.
- Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals, businesses, and community partners. Signature events like Color Me Blue and Kidpreneur Market help raise funds for early learning initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free services for all families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region administers state-funded early childhood education programs on behalf of the Florida Division of Early Learning. Its core services include Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) for matching families with providers, the School Readiness tuition assistance program, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) for four-year-olds, and developmental health screenings for children birth to age five, all delivered free of charge to eligible families across seven counties.
Product overview
The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region operates as a coordinated service organization offering multiple interconnected programs. The core services include Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) for matching families with child care providers, the School Readiness Program for tuition assistance, and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) for pre-K education. These are supported by the Provider Portal digital service for contracted providers. Community engagement programs include the Kidpreneur Summer Business Learning Program and the Color Me Blue Art Auction Event. All services are delivered through service centers across seven counties and via online portals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R)
Quantifiable outcome
- 2660 children enrolled in VPK (2024-2025)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.
- Capital City Chamber of CommercecorePartnership for the Kidpreneur Summer Business Learning Program. The Chamber supports the program that teaches children aged 8-12 entrepreneurship skills through hands-on business development activities.
- State of Florida, Division of Early LearningcoreState agency that provides funding and policy oversight for ELC's administration of School Readiness and VPK programs in the Big Bend region. ELC is the designated local implementing agency.
- United Way of the Big BendmajorCommunity partner providing resources and support for families and children in the Big Bend region.
- CareerSource North FloridamoderatePartner location at Madison Service Center. Provides workforce development resources and employment services for families.
- Florida Department of Children and FamiliescoreState agency regulating child care providers and overseeing child welfare. ELC coordinates with DCF on provider licensing and child care matters.
- Northwest Florida Health NetworkmoderateCommunity health partner providing resources and referrals for families in the Big Bend region.
- Whole Child LeonminorCounty-specific resource partner for Leon County families seeking comprehensive child and family services.
- Whole Child GadsdenminorCounty-specific resource partner for Gadsden County families seeking comprehensive child and family services.
- Goodwood MuseumminorVenue partner for the Color Me Blue signature fundraising event.
- Domi StationminorVenue partner for the Kidpreneur Market event.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Early Learning Coalition of Orange County: Orange County's designated early learning coalition administering VPK, School Readiness, and CCR&R services. Direct peer operating under Florida's coalition framework with overlapping services to families and providers.
- Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe: Florida early learning coalition administering School Readiness and VPK programs in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Same regulatory designee model, same core programs (VPK, School Readiness, CCR&R), serving a much larger urban market.
- Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County: Palm Beach County's early learning coalition offering School Readiness, VPK, and CCR&R. Identical service mix and statutory authority, making it one of the closest functional comparables.
- Early Learning Coalition of the First Coast: First Coast (Duval/Nassau) early learning coalition. Operates the same VPK, School Readiness, and CCR&R programs as a Florida DEL designee; comparable in service portfolio and customer base.
- Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County: Pinellas County's regional early learning coalition administering state-funded School Readiness and VPK. Operates the same coalition model with similar service portfolio, contracted provider network, and CCR&R function.
- Early Learning Coalition of Broward County: Broward County's designated early learning coalition operating School Readiness and VPK programs. Direct peer in structure, mission, funding source (Florida DEL), and service offering.
- Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County: One of Florida's largest regional early learning coalitions, administering the same School Readiness and VPK programs in Hillsborough County under Florida DEL designation. Direct peer operating under identical statutory framework with similar service mix.
- Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida: Northwest Florida's regional early learning coalition covering Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Walton counties. Most geographically and demographically comparable peer given shared rural Panhandle context.
Regional players
- Children's Services Council of Leon County: Leon County (Tallahassee) special taxing district funding children's services from birth through young adulthood. Operates in ELC's primary service area and overlaps in mission (early childhood development, family support) but with a different funding mechanism (property tax vs. state appropriation).
Broad incumbents
- Florida Division of Early Learning (DEL): Florida's state-level agency that funds and oversees all 30+ regional early learning coalitions including ELC Big Bend. Functions as regulator and state-level program administrator, providing the statewide Family Portal and Provider Portal that ELC's operations depend on.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region social profiles
Digital presenceEarly Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region
What does Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region do?
The Early Learning Coalition of the Big Bend Region administers state-funded early childhood education programs on behalf of the Florida Division of Early Learning. Its core services include Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) for matching families with providers, the School Readiness tuition assistance program, Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) for four-year-olds, and developmental health screenings for children birth to age five, all delivered free of charge to eligible families across seven counties.
Is Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region a public or private company?
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region founded?
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region based?
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region is headquartered in Tallahassee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Contracts are the primary driver. The others are donations.
Who are Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, Early Learning Coalition of the First Coast, Early Learning Coalition of Pinellas County, Early Learning Coalition of Broward County, Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County and Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida. Children's Services Council of Leon County is listed as a regional player. Florida Division of Early Learning (DEL) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region have an API?
No public API is recorded for Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region.
What industry is Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region in?
Early Learning Coalition of The Big Bend Region's product category is Early Childhood Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAA, Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 6244 and its SIC code is 8351.