Opening Doors to Pre-K for More Washoe County Families

For many families in Washoe County, the steep cost and limited availability of early childhood education keep this vital opportunity out of reach. A new collaboration between the United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra, Strengthen Our Communities, the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, and a generous anonymous donor is helping close that gap in a practical—and innovative—way.

The initiative builds on Nevada Ready! State Pre-K, which grew from a small, primarily half-day program established in 2001. With support from a federal Preschool Development Grant in 2015, Nevada expanded access, strengthened quality standards, and created additional full-day preschool opportunities for eligible four-year-olds.

United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra later joined the effort. By the 2021–2022 school year, United Way was working with private early learning centers in Carson City and in Lyon, Douglas, and Washoe counties to provide children with access to high-quality pre-K. Today, United Way’s regional program serves more than 200 children across five northern Nevada counties, including Washoe. With the new partnership and a $1 million fund, United Way expects to increase the number of children served this year by 75%—bringing high-quality early learning within reach for many more local families.

The program’s growth has shown what is possible when public agencies and community organizations work together. It has also revealed a less visible challenge. State reimbursement dollars may be available, but private childcare providers can face a 90- to 120-day delay before those funds arrive. Covering payroll, classroom costs, and other operating expenses during that period requires significant upfront cash. Without it, available funding—and potential classroom capacity—can remain out of reach.

That challenge was especially pressing in Washoe County, where local partners estimated that hundreds of potential state-funded pre-K slots went unused each year. Strengthen Our Communities recognized both the need and the opportunity, then approached United Way to operate the program through private early learning centers. The Community Foundation helped complete the solution with an Impact Investment – a philanthropic tool that lends charitable dollars at below-market interest rates for community impact.

The support includes a generous $1 million low-interest loan from an anonymous donor, facilitated by the Community Foundation, to help United Way and their private pre-school partners cover program costs while awaiting state reimbursement. This gift is turning an important opportunity into reality for low-income families—opening the door for more Washoe County children to access high-quality Pre-K and providing local families with greater support, stability, and hope for the future. It is a creative approach to philanthropy with a deep human purpose: helping more children enter kindergarten prepared to learn while easing pressure on working families.

Affordable pre-K can have a ripple effect throughout a household. Parents may be better able to remain in the workforce, strengthen their financial security, and avoid the difficult choice between employment and dependable care. This support can be especially meaningful for women, who are still more likely to leave the workforce or reduce their participation due to caregiving responsibilities. Employers and the broader economy also benefit when parents have reliable options.

For children, the impact begins in the classroom and can extend far into the future. Research links preschool participation to a higher likelihood of graduating from high school and attending college, as well as stronger academic outcomes throughout a student’s education. Nevada Ready! State Pre-K offers full-day learning in both school-based classrooms and community childcare centers, with an emphasis on the experiences and skills children need to thrive.  By serving four-year-olds from income-eligible families, the program brings high-quality early education – and the promise of lasting opportunity - to children who might otherwise miss it.

Building on the program’s ongoing work in Washoe County, the next phase will begin with the fall 2026 school year, with awareness marketing to families in English and Spanish  starting this summer. As classrooms welcome children and families, the partnership will also illustrate a broader lesson: sometimes the resources to address a community challenge already exist, but a thoughtful financial bridge is needed to put them to work.

By listening closely, convening partners, and using philanthropic dollars creatively, the Community Foundation and its partners are helping transform available funding into real  stability and brighter beginnings. For Washoe County families, that means more than access to pre-K. It means greater opportunity—for children taking their first steps into a classroom, for parents building a more secure future, and for a community investing in its youngest learners.