Merger FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What boards are merging?
Harrison, Monona, Shelby (HMS) ECI Board, Boost 4 Families and Corner Counties Early Childhood Area (CCECA) are all merging with Thriving Families Alliance ECI Board as one board serving nine southwest Iowa Counties: Fremont, Page, Harrison, Monona, Pottawattamie, Shelby, Cass, Mills and Montgomery Counties. See the merger news release here.
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What are Early Childhood Iowa county boards, and what do they do?
Childhood experts have found that the first two thousand days (first five years) of human life are critical to a person’s health and well-being throughout their lifecycle. For that reason, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services developed a statewide initiative focused on encouraging collaboration between public and private entities to provide needed support systems and resources in every county.
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The Early Childhood Iowa vision is that every child, beginning at birth, will be healthy and successful.
The State Early Childhood Iowa (ECI) Board oversees local ECI Boards in 38 areas representing all 99 Iowa counties. According to the Iowa ECI website, “Each area has a citizen-led board to support activities to promote collaboration and develop systems in the community for young children and their families.”
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A state system goal is to ensure young children and families receive the services they need when they need them. Southwest Iowa has been at the forefront of this state goal as highlighted in the 2023 Early Childhood Annual Report. In 2023, Iowa’s early childhood system funded $13,422,903 in family support home visitation services to ensure Secure and Nurturing Families.
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Iowa’s early childhood system also funded $384,642 for child care business start-up, expansion, education, health and safety improvements statewide. It also invested more than $2 million to increase the quality of programming in early childhood environments.
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What is Thriving Families Alliance?
Thriving Families Alliance (TFA) is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit as designated by the IRS. TFA seeks to build a resilient community where children and families can thrive. The focus is on promoting protective factors to create positive childhood experiences. TFA convenes community stakeholders to create local solutions to needs and gaps based on data, research, and best practice. TFA is the state designated entity to oversee Early Childhood Iowa, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, Decategorization, MIECHV, and other state child abuse prevention initiatives.
What kind of funding does the Early Childhood County Boards provide, and to whom?
The ECI board receives funding from two different legislative appropriations, School Ready and Early Childhood. The funds are used to support a comprehensive early childhood plan based on local needs assessments and priorities. All four local of the merging ECI boards prioritized family support programs that promote protective factors and school readiness with the School Ready funds. The boards are strongly encouraged to support program models that are evidence-based, quality practices and services that positively affect outcomes for children. The Early Childhood funds shall be used to increase the quality and capacity of child care environments for children ages 0-5.
Why is this merger necessary?
The four boards agreed that there were duplicative efforts among all the boards for administrative and contractor needs. Combining the boards into one creates efficiencies for board administration, including D&O insurance coverage, audits, financial administration and reporting, budget planning and tracking, and performance and outcome reporting. For example, all four boards contract with Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) for the same services.
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Why did the four boards choose to merge under the Thriving Families Alliance ECI Board?
The Thriving Families Alliance ECI Board was the only existing southwest Iowa board that was established as an IRS designated 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization called Thriving Families Alliance (TFA). TFA is able to act as the fiscal agent for all four of the local ECI area boards rather than needing to find an external agency to provide those services. It also enables the TFA ECI Board to leverage additional funds, such as the MIECHV, ICAPP, private funding and accept donations on behalf of the programs.
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How will this merger affect funding formerly provided by all four boards?
The Thriving Families Alliance ECI Board will now oversee all ECI efforts for southwest Iowa, including nine counties: Fremont, Page, Harrison, Monona, Pottawattamie Shelby, Cass, Mills and Montgomery Counties.
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The Thriving Families Alliance administrative team is headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa; however, all nine counties will be represented on and served by the board. At least one representative from each county will have a seat on the board to ensure the unique needs of each county are addressed.
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Services will continue to be provided in all nine counties, and TFA will prioritize local providers, when possible. Efficiencies created by eliminating duplications of board management and contract/funding requirements will use time and funding more effectively for contractors, administrators and the application/award process as a whole.
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Who will be affected by this merger?
The ECI administrative, advocacy and funding processes will experience some contact and/or process adjustments due to the merger, and anyone who will need these updates will be contacted directly with that information. Otherwise, the Thriving Families Alliance board will ensure all nine counties have representation, and services will be tailored to each county’s unique needs.
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Who do I contact if I still have questions?
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Jordan Morse, Early Childhood Director
jmorse@thrivingfamiliesalliance.org
Patricia Russmann, TFA Executive Director
prussmann@thrivingfamiliesalliance.org
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