Description
In 2001, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health hosted a meeting of key stakeholders from all sectors of the Texas early care and education arena. Challenged by the philanthropic community not to let the dialogue end with the day's discussion, the group continued to meet, develop task forces, and ultimately formalize into an entity named the Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition (TECEC) in 2003.
Because the group began as a less formal collection of organizations, agencies, and individuals working toward a common goal, becoming a 501(c)(3) with all the structural, legal, and organizational criteria required was not an option in which participants were interested. Instead, the group looked to see if one of its member organizations had a mission, scope, and structure that closely aligned with the purpose of TECEC and would be willing to serve as fiscal agent. Children's Defense Fund Texas (CDF-Texas) with its statewide lens, focus on child well-being, and physical home in Austin was pleased to step forward to serve in that capacity. Thus, while TECEC has been connected to CDF, indeed housed there, and has benefited substantially from the association; TECEC has become an initiative unto its own.
After seven years of successful statewide efforts and recognition at the local, state, and national levels, TECEC has transitioned to its own 501 (c) 3 as of June 2010. TECEC was a housed project of Children's Defense Fund from 2003 to 2010.
