Blending or Braiding of Funds: Part-1

1. 1. Develop a list containing 3-5 examples of early care and education programs in your state or community that might use blending or braiding of funds. Examples of organizations likely include:
      • Head Start/Early Head Start
      • Title I
      • Early Childhood Special Education
      • Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting
      • Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships
      • Licensed child care centers
      • Child Care Resource & Referral Organizations
      • Out of school time programs (e.g. before/after school programming, summer camps)

1. Make telephone or email contact with the organizations on your list. Advise them that you are a student researching various methods of program funding and ask to speak to someone who is knowledgeable about the types of funding their program relies upon.

1. Ask your contact person if he or she is familiar with blending or braiding funds.

• If so, ask if that person would be willing to help you with an assignment by answering a few questions about his or her experience with this type of funding in the program.
• If not, thank the person for his or her time and ask for suggestions for anyone else who might use braiding/blending, and try again with another organization.

1. 1. Once you have identified a person who uses braiding/blending strategies for funding in his or her organization, make arrangements to ask your questions. You may want to email the person your questions for review before your telephone conversation (or see if the person prefers to submit responses in writing).
      • Does your program use blending funds, braiding funds, or both?
      • What funding streams are used?
      • What are your recommendations for maintaining a collaborative relationship with different funders?
      • What are the advantages and disadvantages of blending or braiding funding?
      • What lessons have you learned about blending and/or braiding funding?

1. For this part of the assignment, submit:

• The list of 3-5 organizations you considered
• The title of the contact person who agreed to share information with you and the name of the organization
• Contact arrangements (connect via email, call scheduled, etc.)
• A brief description of your experience finding someone to speak with