Horizontal Timeline

1996
Formation of Youth Matters, a business engagement and community strategy initiative housed at the Greater Richmond Chamber. Funded by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation

1998
Formation of Success by 6th at United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg.

2001
ChamberRVA and United Way align their early childhood efforts to form the Early Childhood Development Coalition.

2005
Governor Mark Warner creates Virginia Early Learning Council

2006
Governor Tim Kaine forms Start Strong Council

2006
Greater Richmond Chamber and United Way merge their early childhood efforts to form the Success by 6th Partnership and a regional Early Childhood Learning Council.

2007
Virginia’s plan for Smart Beginnings created

2007
Building on nearly a decade of regional collaboration, business engagement, and program movement, Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond is launched with a $500,000 grant from the newly formed Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.

2008
Virginia creates Office of Early Childhood Development

2010
The first Regional Plan for Children’s School Readiness is launched.

2011
The first Regional Kindergarten Registration Campaign is launched, bringing together 10 school divisions across the region.

2015
Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond transitions from the United Way to ChamberRVA as its new fiscal agent. First Board of Directors established.

2017
The Regional Plan for Children’s School Readiness 2017-2020 is launched.

2018
Locality Planning Groups activated; Mixed Delivery launch in Chesterfield; East End Initiative, Richmond Area Service Alliance launched; The Basics from Harvard extended to region.

2019
COVID-19 Pandemic unfolds

2019
Federal Preschool Development and VECF Systems Building Grants implemented

2021
Apply for Ready Region Hub

2022
Launch the Ready Region Hub