Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage
Supported by the Kent County Ready by Five Millage
Ready by Five in Kent County
In 2022, Ready by Five provided more than 12,400 young children and expectant parents from every zip code in Kent County access to programs focused on healthy development, early learning, and family support. Thousands more received information and resources about early childhood development.
The millage is funded by a .25 mill property tax increase that generates about
$37 million in total
Ready by Five Programs
Ready by Five supports 18 community-based organizations that provide 32 different early childhood programs, including:
- Prenatal support
- Developmental screenings to identify potential delays and disabilities
- Assistance navigating the early childhood system
- Home visits that support caregivers
- Play and learn groups, which help develop language and learning skills
- Elimination of hazardous substances, like lead, from homes
- Intensive therapy for children dealing with behavioral health issues
- Books for families to support reading at home
Ready by Five complements state and federal funding, generating about $7.7 million a year to expand access to early childhood programming. It costs the owner of a home valued at $300,000 about $37.50 annually, or $3.13 per month.
- Funding Opportunities
- Millage Impact
- Voter Information
Funding Opportunities
A Request for Proposals (RFP) was released on April 23, 2024. Proposals are due May 28 by 3 p.m. Learn more about the 8 funding opportunities here.
First Steps Kent will hold two pre-proposal conferences before releasing the RFP - Tuesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. and Wednesday, April 24 at 10 a.m. Learn more and register to attend here.
e-CImpact is First Steps Kent's online system for managing the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage process annually. Agencies will submit applications through e-CImpact.
