Our impact in the community
Collaborating for systems change.
Since April 2023, our diverse group of community partners has worked together to accomplish our strategic goals. See how our collaborative work is changing our community and shaping the systems that serve Nashville’s children and families.
Support for child care centers and directors
Published the “Guide to Expanding Child Care in Davidson County,” a comprehensive tool for directors seeking to open a new center or expand current space. It has been shared with other communities across the state through the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Bright Start TN. (December 2023)
Developed a child care center self-assessment tool through a pilot cohort of 12 child care centers funded by the Childcare Stabilization grant. Center directors will use this self-assessment tool as part of their stabilization report to Metro Nashville in early 2025 showing areas of growth and continued areas of need. (November 2023)
Facilitated three workshops customized to address the most common challenges and needs surfaced by 12 Davidson County child care centers receiving stabilization funding. Workshops provided individualized resources to address areas of need at these specific centers. (Spring 2024)
Advocacy for economic value of child care and access issues of families
Collaborated with many partners to hold their first advocacy event, “The Child Care Challenge” focused on the topic of child care access. The event was attended by both local Metro Council members as well as state legislators and specific policy priorities were shared by panelists and experts from multiple organizations. The event helped raise awareness and dialogue between Raising Readers Nashville partners and some state and local lawmakers. (December 2024)
Together with the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, published “Davidson County Child Care Landscape Study, Phase I,” to highlight child care deserts and the limited childcare options experienced by families. The findings in this study provided key insights into the child care landscape in Nashville, particularly around disparities throughout Davidson county. These findings are contributing to the increased awareness and shaping of policymakers public support of child care access, and were instrumental in advocating for additional funding for further investment in addressing the child care crisis. (March 2024)
Partnered with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce to co-author an article for The Nashville Business Journal highlighting the Nashville business and non-profit community solutions for the child care challenges faced by families across the city. The article served as a call to action for business leaders in these sectors to implement some of the solutions in their own workplaces. (May 2024)
Partnered with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce to present “Childcare Policy in Tennessee,” a Talent Solutions Forum series panel designed to inform business leaders about the intricacies of child care regulations, accessibility, and quality. (March 2024)
More about our current actions.
Get to know more about our four domains of focus, our 2025-2026 strategies, and our approach to collaborative efforts. Download our latest report, “Cultivating a Landscape for Learning: Raising Readers Nashville 2025-2026 Strategies.”