Radian and Denver Shared Spaces were funded by Gary Community Investments in 2017 to investigate the underlying issues preventing development of early childhood (ECE) centers in the Denver Metro Area. Research shows that the most critical period in a child’s development occurs within the first five years of life. The quality of learning experiences during this period often has a life-long impact on later school success, behavior, and health. There are not enough high-quality ECE centers in Denver to meet growing demand. in particular, it is difficult to open ECE centers that can accommodate low-income children due to complex funding structures.

We worked with Piton on the planning and outreach support for a 3-month process in creating a toolkit that supports the incorporation of ECE programs into mixed-use/transit-oriented developments. We engaged ECE providers, building owners and developers with a goal to activate new ECE’s and encourage inclusivity and promote health and economic/social equity of local communities. The “Early Childhood Education Toolkit” identifies the needs and challenges of developers and ECE providers, with a clear understanding of costs, funding opportunities/challenges and space/licensing requirements necessary to successfully include ECEs in existing and future developments.