Who We Are

What is smart start?

Smart Start is North Carolina’s nationally recognized and award-winning early childhood initiative designed to ensure that young children enter school healthy and ready to succeed in school and beyond. Studies show clearly that the foundation for lifelong success in school and work are laid in these vital years.

Smart Start is a public-private initiative that provides early education funding to all of the state’s 100 counties, including here in Davie County. Smart Start funds are administered at the local level through local nonprofit organizations called Local Partnerships. The North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (NCPC) is the statewide nonprofit organization that provides oversight and technical assistance for local Smart Start organizations. Services at the local level range depending on local needs. Funding for Smart Start Partnerships in North Carolina is currently $203.6 million in state funds. Smart Start has raised more than $257 million in donations since it began. Smart Start funds are used to improve the quality of child care, make child care more affordable and accessible, provide access to health services and offer family support.

Smart start of Davie county

We are pleased to have a strong organization here in Davie, with a talented staff and dynamic board. We have the following mission:

To ensure quality childcare, education, health and family support programs for all Davie County children birth to five.

Programs funded by Smart Start of Davie County during the current fiscal year include Child Care Health Consultant, a free health consulting service for legally operating childcare facilities; Childcare Subsidy, a child care scholarship program for families; Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, an early literacy program for children; Parents as Teachers, an intensive, in-home, parent/child education program; Nurturing Parenting Program, a ten week parenting class; Strengthening the Foundations of Quality, a technical assistance program for childcare providers; Early Childhood Resource Center, a free toy and resource lending library for parents and childcare providers; Reach Out and Read, a early literacy program championed by local pediatricians; and WAGE$, an educational incentive program for childcare providers.

It is our desire to be respected in the community for our ability to bring people together as we develop and implement high quality child care and programs that support the family.