For many of Cleveland’s dedicated early childhood educators, there has long been a disconnect between the high-quality care they provide and the aging facilities where they work. PRE4CLE, a collective impact initiative focused on improving kindergarten readiness across the city, is closing that gap through its Cleveland Early Learning Spaces (CELS) program, which offers grants and other financial supports, professional development, and technical assistance to early childhood education (ECE) providers to help them upgrade their facilities.
Through the first two cohorts of the program, which IFF’s Real Estate Solutions team supports as the owner’s representative during building renovations, CELS helped 11 ECE providers transform their facilities into the safe, modern, and inspiring environments Cleveland’s children deserve. That number will soon grow to 16, with five ECE providers currently participating in the program’s third cohort on track to complete construction by the end of this summer. Since the program’s launch in 2022, CELS has facilitated renovations benefiting nine Cleveland neighborhoods, supporting up to 1,000 children annually, and improving working conditions for approximately 130 early childhood staff members.
Upgrading Cleveland's Early Learning Spaces
To learn more about PRE4CLE’s Cleveland Early Learning Spaces program and IFF’s role as the owner’s representative for facility upgrades, read our 2023 story. To learn about the program’s second cohort, read our 2025 update on the program.
Members of the third cohort—all established ECE providers—include East End Neighborhood House, Fundamentals Early Childhood Development Academy, Nottingham Child Care Academy, Murtis Taylor Child Enrichment Center, and Jireh Learning Center. Cohort members received a total of $800,000 in grant funding through CELS to pursue a combination of indoor and outdoor improvements designed to enhance safety, functionality, and learning quality.
In addition to capital support, PRE4CLE provides mentorship and technical assistance to participating providers, fostering a strong sense of community and shared learning that is central to the program’s approach. Research consistently shows that high-quality early learning environments positively influence student productivity, academic performance, and behavior, while also improving job satisfaction for teachers and administrators—factors that contribute directly and indirectly to student success.
More broadly, the initiative is designed to create a more equitable system for Cleveland’s children and families, offer leadership development and networking opportunities for small business owners, and support broader economic and community development across Cleveland’s neighborhoods by ensuring that working parents have safe, inspiring spaces for their children during the workday.
A fourth cohort of CELS is expected to launch later this year, with a focus on home-based child care programs. That effort will include collaboration with Starting Point and the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition to incorporate lead remediation, further advancing health, safety, and equity in early childhood settings.