Buffett Institutue - Thriving Children 2021

Session Title	Session Description	Video
Welcome
Keynote & Panel
Closing Plenary
Close
Leveraging New and Evolving Policies and Funds to Support Local Child Care	The critical need for early childhood care and education has been elevated at federal, state, and local levels, leading to unprecedented emphasis and powerful new funding possibilities for communities such as the American Rescue Plan. Learn what these evolving financial incentives and new funding opportunities mean, and how to access and leverage them to support your local child care needs.
Safer Communities, Brighter Futures	Fight Crime Invest in Kids – a national bipartisan membership organization of over 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors – will host a panel discussion focused on law enforcement's support for evidence-based high-quality early childhood programs. Research shows that these early years can set the foundation for school success, reduce involvement in the criminal justice system, and improve public safety. These critical assets promote social and economic opportunity as safer communities are more likely to retain and attract residents, skilled workers, and business/industry.
Community-Centered Solutions to Increase Child Care Availability	Community leaders across Nebraska are implementing innovative solutions to address their critical local need for child care. This breakout session will showcase success stories, such as Gothenburg's school-city-hospital interlocal agreement and the Columbus Community Hospital Child Care Center.
Quality Early Care and Education Revisited: What It Means and What It Takes	Early childhood programs are often designed and developed without input from families, professionals, and communities. This can negatively impact equitable access to quality early care and education for children. This session will look at how Nebraska defines quality and share a number of principles and processes that can help your community's early childhood settings ensure that each child and family thrives.
Diapers to Diplomas	Learn more about "Rule 11" and how Shickley leveraged Nebraska's Department of Education regulations to transform a child care desert in rural Nebraska. Hear from a superintendent and a school board member about how innovative thinking and the Diapers to Diplomas program have helped the school remain an active and vibrant resource in the community.
Innovative Ways to Support the Community Child Care Workforce	Join Nebraska community representatives and the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative to find new ways to support the early child care workforce. Hear specific examples, including hosting monthly provider meetings for networking, identifying new training opportunities, providing stipends for training, and offering support for centers and in-home providers.
Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan: Collaborating Across Communities	The Nebraska Early Childhood Strategic Plan is a dynamic plan developed by and for Nebraskans to provide all children and their families with access to quality early childhood services that support children's healthy development from birth through age 8. Join the conversation to learn how the strategic plan will support communities in coordinating local resources and build capacity to meet the needs of families and children.
Community Storytelling	Representatives from three Nebraska communities will share their early childhood journey and how they developed their unique story. The focus will include lessons learned, successes, and challenges that were encountered along the way. The panelists will share their creation of community storyboards and recap what was learned over a yearlong storytelling webinar series.
Understanding Fundraising Basics	Successful fundraising requires much more than "making an ask." Hear from philanthropy experts and learn about researching potential funders, building relationships, asking questions, understanding key terms, and delivering a well-constructed proposal.
Exploring Factors Beyond Economic Investment that Influence Community Vitality	Wondering what factors beyond fiscal investment create communities were people want to live, work, and play? Join folks from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Native American Coalition, UNL College of Education and Human Sciences, and Nebraska Extension’s Latino Small Business Program who will share their experience and knowledge about how factors like culture, small businesses, mental health, and wellbeing influence community vitality. Then, connect with fellow attendees to discuss why communities are a complex network of people, partnerships, organizations, and relationships.
C4K Convening