Join Our Newsletter

Mission

ECCLA advocates for and strengthens the accessibility, quality, and equity of local services and supports through a responsive statewide system of Early Childhood Councils, to benefit Colorado’s young children, their families, and early childhood professionals.

Vision

Colorado’s comprehensive early childhood system promotes thriving young children, their families, and communities

ECCLA’s Leadership Role

Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) was initially formed in 1998 as an informal collaborative among Early Childhood Councils to support each other, align efforts, communicate grant management information, share best practices, and provide local input to state policy decisions. In 2012, because of changes to the statewide system, Councils identified the need to develop an independent support organization. As a result, ECCLA was established in 2013 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and in 2014 launched formally as a membership association.

Today, ECCLA is a collective impact leader with strong relationships among all of Colorado’s 35 Early Childhood Councils who serve all 64 counties. We are a collective voice and statewide hub which leverages the expertise and network of Early Childhood Councils to advance shared outcomes for young children, families, and the early childhood workforce.

As the membership association for Early Childhood Councils, we provide technical assistance and capacity building, leverage policy and advocacy, scale innovation, improve workforce supports for early childhood professionals, advance collective impact, and facilitate partnerships. In collaboration with Early Childhood Councils, our efforts enable us to effectively align, leverage, scale, and lead solutions that contribute to building and supporting Colorado’s robust early childhood system.

Our Core Values and Guiding Principles

LEARNING: We are innovative thinkers who value new ideas, take smart risks, and develop and implement best practices.

EXCELLENCE: We are a high-performing organization with a demonstrated impact to advance early childhood outcomes.

ADVOCACY: We unify and amplify the voices of communities to advance system-wide policy solutions.

DATA-DRIVEN: We use data to guide our decisions and evaluate our work.

EQUITY: We meet people where they are and pursue community-informed solutions that meet the diverse needs of young children and families.

RELATIONSHIPS: We authentically connect with thought partners and view this collective approach as the conduit for achieving a cohesive system.

SYSTEM-FOCUSED: We believe the early childhood system is comprised of a complex and interconnected ecosystem and work to support cross-sector growth and resilience.

Statement of Non-Discrimination Practices

The Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) ensures equal opportunity access as an employer and in delivery of services. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, gender, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, military status, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression in any of its activities or operations. We welcome linguistically diverse individuals and ensure scholarship programs we offer serve Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students.

Skip to content