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We are pleased to announce that VPP has entered an investment partnership
with the Child and Family Network Centers (CFNC), an Alexandria-based
organization providing caring, high-quality education and related
services to at-risk children and families in their own neighborhoods.
CFNC operates five accredited preschool programs for three- to five-year-olds
in Alexandria’s poorest neighborhoods. Over the years, CFNC
has prepared more than 1,000 children to enter elementary school.
In addition, CFNC provides support services to the families of those
children, focused on family literacy, social services, child care
training and job training.
Through this partnership, VPP will provide $300,000
and strategic assistance to CFNC over a two-year period to support
specific components of its strategic plan designed to strengthen
the organization and expand their services to reach more children
and families. This investment brings VPP’s financial commitment
to CFNC to over $600,000, including approximately $300,000 already
provided to 1) facilitate a planning process through which CFNC
brought resolution to its growth objectives and direction, and 2)
support CFNC’s senior management team expansion, fund development
resources, organizational and executive coaching, and senior talent
recruitment. VPP’s strategic assistance has supported CFNC’s
leadership in strengthening their organization, securing support
from the Philip L. Graham Fund as a co-investor with VPP, and in
engaging Patton Boggs to explore public funding opportunities.
The planning process that VPP supported helped CFNC
management and their Board define a clear direction and a scale
of growth they feel is achievable. The projected growth and expansion
for the organization was more constrained than originally envisioned
when the initial VPP planning investment was made. Therefore, the
scope of funding and support is scaled appropriately to their refined
vision and expansion plans. We respect the planning process CFNC
went through and continue to value and support the high quality
of services CFNC provides to children of low-income families in
Alexandria.
CFNC’s aspirations and long-term goals are
to:
- Expand from eight classrooms serving 140 families
in Alexandria to seventeen classrooms serving 270 families through
expansion to the West End of Alexandria and South Arlington;
- Improve the current organization structure, particularly
in the areas of development, communications, outcomes, technology,
and human resources;
- Enhance programmatic initiatives including converting
to full-day preschool education, expand support services through
partnering or direct service (i.e. before/after care, health care,
legal/immigration, mental health, financial/banking advice, etc.).
Please join us in congratulating Barbara Fox Mason,
executive director of CFNC, her board president, John Ronveaux,
and the rest of the board and staff of CFNC on the launch of their
expansion plans.
VPP board and investors can access documents on the
VPP partnership with CFNC, including the agreement,
in the secure area of the website.
My best, Mario
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