About Us
The Region A Partnership for Children is a non-profit organization that was established
in 1994 to administer Smart Start funding in the seven far western counties (Cherokee,
Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain) and the Cherokee Indian Reservation.
Smart Start is the North Carolina
Early Education Initiative to ensure that all children are healthy and
ready to succeed when they enter kindergarten. The NC General Assembly
issued guidelines for Smart Start grant funding. The funders must serve
children under six, before they enter kindergarten, in the areas of early
care and education, family support, and health. The North Carolina Partnership
for Children (NCPC) administers Smart Start at the state level. NCPC interprets
legislation and funding issues guidelines to the 81 local partnerships
in the use of Smart Start funding. NCPC contracts with each of the partnerships
and provides support to them in planning for and carrying out Smart Start
objectives.
The Region A Partnership for Children accomplishes its mission in the region in
a number of ways:
By periodically conducting a comprehensive strategic planning process
across the region,
By developing and helping to develop programs that support school readiness
for young children,
By contracting with organizations and agencies throughout the region to provide services funded through
Smart Start,
By providing services directly with Partnership staff,
By seeking and developing additional resources beyond Smart Start to expand the scope
of regional activities and to support families,
By planning and partnering with other family focused groups and organizations in the region to maximize
effectiveness and minimize duplication of services, and
By encouraging each county and the Qualla Boundary to engage in ongoing strategic planning with families,
local service providers, and other community members to develop comprehensive, community-based
services that address the needs and desires of families.
The Partnership has a regional board of directors that is comprised of county based positions
such as parents, childcare providers, a department of social services director, a health
director, a school superintendent, a librarian, a community college president, and
business leaders. These positions are rotated among the seven counties and the Qualla Boundary.
Directors of two regional agencies, Southwestern Child Development Commission and Southwestern
NC Planning and Economics Development Commission, are appointed to the Board on a permanent
basis.
The Carolina Mountain Trust for Children
and Youth is an endowment fund through the Partnership to provide
grants for addressing the needs of children and youth in western
North Carolina.
Read our Annual Report online. |