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Top banner photo credits, left to right:
*ECDC/African Community Center
*Bal Swan Children's Center
*Children's Outreach Project
*Early Connections Learning Centers
*Elizabeth Early Childhood Programs
*Mount Saint Vincent Home
*Starpoint
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
In 2012
the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation will celebrate its 50th
anniversary. In the past decades,
the foundation has provided funding to support hundreds of nonprofits.
We have honed our grantmaking strategy and today are the only foundation
in Colorado dedicated to supporting early childhood at such a deep level.
We have contributed nearly $100 million to local agencies, primarily in
the areas of early childhood education and development.
In just the last year, the foundation awarded grants to more than 260
nonprofit organizations in Colorado, totaling more than $8.5 million to support
early care and education infrastructures and direct services for young children
and their families.
This is an exciting time to be involved with the early childhood sector.
New research continues to show that the greatest impacts are made during
the earliest years of a child’s life. It
is through quality interactions, relationships, and education that children are
able to start school ready to succeed and learn.
We know that when children do not enter school ready to learn it is
unlikely that they will ever catch up with their peers, more likely that they
will not graduate from high school, more likely that they will become teen
parents, and more likely that they will abuse alcohol and drugs.
It is because of this that the Buell Foundation works to improve the
quality of and access to early childhood education programs, increase the
knowledge of parents and providers, improve system infrastructure, and build
leadership in the early childhood sector. We
value quality and know that it is only in the highest quality programs that all
children have the chance to thrive.
In our work throughout the state we hear
time and again that the early childhood field wants to be seen as a profession
and that more leadership is needed. At
the Buell Foundation, we have sustained our efforts to improve the leadership of
early childhood professionals in Colorado and will complete an initial five-year
commitment to the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program this spring.
Through this program we have seen 100 fellows from every region of the
state complete a master’s level certificate program, many progressing to
completion of a master’s or doctoral degree.
These fellows represent the promise of an improved early childhood system
that is focused on best practices, committed to progress and outcomes, and has
gained broad support from Colorado citizens.
In November, the Foundation was honored to receive the 2011 Outstanding
Foundation of the Year Award at the National Philanthropy Day celebration in
Colorado. This award is given to the
foundation that demonstrates great commitment to encouragement of nonprofit
organizations around the state. Thanks
to Tere Keller-Amaya and the other 99 Buell Fellows for nominating us for this
prestigious recognition.
In the past year, the Foundation lost two valued trustees.
Deedee Mayer passed away in January of 2011 after serving as a member of
the board for ten years. She brought
with her a strong understanding of the nonprofit sector and a high level of
compassion for the individuals doing the hard work throughout the state.
In October 2011, Judge Luis Rovira passed away.
He served on the board for 17 years, providing a unique and analytic
perspective on our activities. He
was deeply committed to the work of the Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation and
improving the lives of Colorado’s children.
Both of these individuals will be greatly missed.
We are excited to announce our two newest
trustees, Noelle Hagan and Steve ErkenBrack.
Noelle, of Gunnison, CO, is an organizational capacity consultant and
meeting facilitator for nonprofits and local governments.
She previously served on the Montrose City Council, including two terms
as Mayor. Steve ErkenBrack currently
serves as President and CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans in Grand Junction,
CO. We are honored to include these
two new trustees as members of our board and are excited to learn from their
experiences and perspectives.
Our work would not be possible without the dedicated individuals and nonprofit
organizations improving the lives of children and families around the state.
We look forward to 2012 as a year of possibilities and progress.
We are eager to continue working alongside our grant partners as well as
those in the broader early childhood system in Colorado.
 
Daniel L.
Ritchie
Susan J. Steele
President
Executive Director
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