Association of Early Learning Coalitions

What Association of Early Learning Coalitions does

The Association of Early Learning Coalitions (AELC) is a Florida non-profit association founded in 1999 that serves as the statewide coordinating body for 30 Early Learning Coalitions covering all 67 counties of Florida. Its role originates from Florida Statute 411.01, the School Readiness Act, which legislatively created the coalition structure to administer School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs. AELC's functional remit is advocacy, training, legislative coordination, and information sharing among its member coalitions, the Division of Early Learning, early childhood education providers, and families with children from birth to age five. It does not develop or sell technology products; its operating surface is its website (aelcfl.org), newsletter, social media presence, and the annual conference.

AELC's business model is a traditional membership association structure. Revenue is generated from membership dues contributed by the 30 member Early Learning Coalitions and from conference registration fees and partnership/sponsorship packages. The 2026-27 partnership roster is tiered (Title, Platinum, Premium Silver, Partner) and includes Highlights Early Learning, Playground, Teaching Strategies, Join Tandem, Straighterline, and Early Education Group. The organization's primary go-to-market motion is community-led, reaching members through annual conferences, newsletters, and collaborative events, with the 2026 Annual Conference scheduled for November 17-20, 2026 at the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida.

The organization is led by Executive Director Molly Grant and Deputy Director Jes Prichard, operating from a 1-10 person staff at 206B South Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Florida. AELC is structured as a peer association rather than a parent company; each of the 30 member coalitions is an independent not-for-profit corporation with its own 18-35 member governing board. No venture capital, private equity, or public ownership structures are identified. AELC also cross-promotes related industry events hosted by FLAEYC, NAEYC, the Florida Department of Education's Just Read Florida program, the One Goal Summer Conference, and Children's Week at the Capitol, extending its reach across the state's early-learning professional ecosystem.

Name

Association of Early Learning Coalitions

Legal name

Association of Early Learning Coalitions

Website

https://aelcfl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association of Early Learning Coalitions is a Florida non-profit association that coordinates 30 statewide Early Learning Coalitions across all 67 counties, providing advocacy, training, and an annual conference to support School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Education Coalition Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Early learning coalitions
• School readiness programs
• Prekindergarten coordination
• Early childhood advocacy
• Nonprofit association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tallahassee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Conference Fees: AELC generates revenue through membership contributions from Early Learning Coalitions and conference registration fees. The organization also offers partnership packets for sponsors and partners to support annual conferences.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Association of Early Learning Coalitions is a non-profit membership association that coordinates and advocates on behalf of 30 Early Learning Coalitions across Florida's 67 counties. It delivers member advocacy, professional development, and statewide coordination of School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs, anchored by an annual conference, newsletter communications, and legislative coordination with the Florida Division of Early Learning.

Product overview

The Association of Early Learning Coalitions (AELC) is a non-profit association that coordinates and supports 30 early learning coalitions covering all 67 counties of Florida. The organization does not offer a technology product; instead, it provides advocacy, leadership, and coordination services for early learning programs including School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs. Key offerings include an annual conference for ELC staff members and newsletter communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AELC Annual Conference Annual professional development and networking conference hosted by AELC for Early Learning Coalition staff members across Florida, featuring training sessions, best-practice sharing, and sponsor exhibits. Open to ELC staff and offered with tiered sponsor partnership packets (Title, Platinum, Premium Silver, Partner).
• AELC Association Membership Membership in the Association of Early Learning Coalitions for Florida's 30 Early Learning Coalitions, providing unified statewide advocacy, coordination with the Division of Early Learning, shared best practices, and access to AELC events including the annual conference.
• AELC Conference Sponsorship and Partnership Packets Tiered sponsorship packages offered to education publishers, curriculum providers, and early childhood industry vendors that want to support AELC's annual conference and gain access to Florida coalition decision-makers. Tiers include Title, Platinum, Premium Silver, and Partner.
• AELC Newsletter Subscription Email newsletter delivering the latest early learning news to subscribers, including member coalitions, providers, and the broader early learning community.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered title partner, platinum partner, premium silver partner, partner, host venue and event partner.

• Highlights Early Learningtitle partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Highlights Early Learning serves as the 2026-27 Title Partner for AELC. As a leading publisher of educational materials for young children, they provide support for the association's annual conference and initiatives.
• Playground (tryplayground.com)platinum partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Playground is the 2026-27 Platinum Partner, supporting AELC's mission and annual conference activities.
• Teaching Strategiespremium silver partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Teaching Strategies is a 2026-27 Premium Silver Partner, contributing to AELC's professional development and early learning resources.
• Early Education GrouppartnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Early Education Group is a 2026-27 Partner supporting AELC's initiatives.
• Join Tandempremium silver partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Join Tandem is a 2026-27 Premium Silver Partner, providing support for AELC programs and events.
• Straighterlinepremium silver partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Straighterline is a 2026-27 Premium Silver Partner supporting AELC's mission and activities.
• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palacehost venueOthersThe Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace - Disney Springs Area is the designated hotel and venue for the 2026 AELC Annual Conference.
• Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC)event partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELC promotes FLAEYC's Annual Conference 2026 (October 14-18, Jacksonville, Florida) as an upcoming event for early learning professionals.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)event partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELC promotes NAEYC's Annual Conference 2026 (December 5-8, Washington D.C.) as an industry event for early learning professionals.
• Florida Department of Education - Just Read Floridaevent partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELC promotes Just Read Florida's Summer Literacy Institute (June 2026, Orlando) and Celebrate Literacy Week (2026) as professional development opportunities.
• One Goal Summer Conferenceevent partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELC promotes the One Goal Conference (July 8-10, 2026, Tampa, Florida) as an upcoming event for early learning professionals.
• Children's Week at the Capitolevent partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELC promotes Children's Week at the Capitol (Tallahassee, Florida) as an advocacy event for early learning stakeholders.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• First Five Years Fund: A national early childhood education advocacy organization focused on federal funding and policy for high-quality early learning. Comparable to AELC in its singular focus on ECE advocacy and convening role.
• National Head Start Association: A national membership association representing Head Start programs and the children/families they serve, providing advocacy, training, and an annual conference. Operates as a comparable coalition-coordination and advocacy body for a related ECE constituency.
• Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC): Florida's state affiliate of NAEYC, FLAEYC is a membership association for early childhood professionals in Florida, offering advocacy, professional development, and an annual conference that overlaps directly with AELC's member audience and mission.

Broad incumbents

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The national professional membership association for ECE, NAEYC sets standards, accredits programs, and hosts a major annual conference. AELC promotes NAEYC's events directly, indicating strong mission overlap and a parent-affiliate relationship.
• Child Care Aware of America: A national network that coordinates state and local childcare resource and referral agencies, providing advocacy, professional development, and data services. Closely comparable to AELC's coalition-coordination model, just at a national scale.

Emerging players

• Zero to Three: A national non-profit focused on early childhood development from birth to age three, combining advocacy, professional development, and direct program resources. Overlaps with AELC in the ECE advocacy and training space.
• BUILD Initiative: A national non-profit that supports state-level early childhood system-building through policy advising, coaching, and grantmaking. Comparable in role as a back-office coordinator for state ECE systems rather than a direct service provider.

Regional players

• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC): A national membership association for family child care providers, focused on accreditation, advocacy, and professional development. Comparable to AELC as a membership-based advocacy body for a specific ECE provider segment.

Others

• Council for Professional Recognition: Administers the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for early childhood educators. Complementary to AELC's mission of supporting ECE professional development across Florida's coalition network.
• National Black Child Development Institute: A national organization focused on improving outcomes for Black children through early childhood education, advocacy, and family support. Operates in an adjacent ECE advocacy space with comparable convening and policy roles.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aelcfl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries30 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Association of Early Learning Coalitions