Building on an ECD Design Blitz hosted in October 2014, the Institute for Child Success partnered with learning and leadership design firm, Openfields, to empower leaders in ECD with
the creative space, perspective, tools, and relationships to imagine how the entire early childhood sector might look in 30 years. ICS invited twenty leaders from policy and provider groups, funders and for-profits, to meet together to imagine what the future could hold. The result was a remarkable two-day summit, in which a new generation of leaders considered how a small committed group, one that could think and act beyond their single organizations and beyond ECD, might forever change the way the United States serves its youngest children.

Along with the organizations represented, ICS sees the critical need to continue to develop creative, high-capacity leaders within ECD. ICS is committed to 1) helping launch a series of partner leadership programs (several of which were imagined at the retreat and noted below) and 2) designing and launching a national network for ECD leadership development. ICS is seeking partners and funding to make these efforts possible over the next 2-3 years.

Key to accelerating trust within the group and making the most impact in just two days was the expected preparation work.