Children, families, and communities are coming together to find ways to thrive, now and into the future.

Please plan to join us on the morning of September 14 for an exciting day of virtual learning, sharing, and planning as community leaders from across Nebraska come together to focus on high-quality early childhood education and its connection to economic development and community vitality.

This year’s conference will feature both live-streamed presentations as well as local watch parties where community leaders can come together to discuss challenges, share success stories, learn from each other, and develop plans for implementing and sustaining high-quality birth – Grade 3 care and education. Interested Nebraskans can attend an interactive watch party or choose to attend virtually from their workplace or home. Watch party sites across Nebraska include Alliance, Columbus, Grand Island, Kearney, McCook, Norfolk, North Platte, Scottsbluff, and more. Additional sites are still being added and will be posted online . (Please note: Site locations may change based on state and local COVID guidelines.)

The conference is intended for community leaders, including those in education, economic development, child care, business, government, health care, higher education, and philanthropy, who have an interest in learning more about high-quality early childhood education programs and services and their important role in economic development. Last year more than 425 community leaders from 100 Nebraska communities participated.

The conference will be held the morning of Monday, September 14. Afterwards, representatives from communities participating in the statewide Communities for Kids initiative will engage in further planning efforts. This Nebraska Children and Families Foundation initiative is working with communities across Nebraska to advance their early childhood programming and services.