BY5 is a nonprofit organization that formed with a mission to transform our community by connecting Kindergarten readiness to economic success. We are the leading organization for early childhood awareness in Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana. Through a variety of task force and volunteer efforts, we improve opportunities for children aged 0-5 to reach their developmental potential.

We envision a revitalized community that can thrive long-term. We accomplish this through our three main goals:

GOAL 1: Increase access to high-quality early learning

Child care and education providers are financially stable.
Strategies
• Continue to offer 10-week business management training to home child care providers through All Our Kin
• Work directly with providers on marketing plans, policies, parent handbooks, fee schedules, taxes, and employee benefits
• Create bulk buying opportunities for providers
• Continue to host montly provider calls for information sharing
• Gather information through monthly Advisory Board meetings

Our community has a seat in a high-quality childcare program for every child, birth to five years old, who needs care.
Strategies
• Provide current, relevant training for early childhood care and education professionals through the BY5 Professional Learning Institute
•Provide opportunities for reflective coaching in the classroom setting
• Give support and training to leaders in the local early childhood programs to strengthen their abilities to lead through difficult times
• Bring together preschool and kindergarten teachers so that they can help families make a smooth transition
• Provide high quality, foundations-based curriculum, training, and follow-up so that children have the educational skills necessary to be successful in kindergarten
• Provide training that will help classroom professionals help children successfully navigate behavioral challenges before entering K-12 schools

Our community has a strong and aligned early childhood professionals pipeline.
Strategies
• Continue partnerships with Eastern Indiana Works, Muncie Area Career Center, Muncie Community Schools, local and regional childcare providers to showcase the many job opportunties in the early childhood profession
• Advocate at the state level for better pay and benefits through greater state-level financial support for childcare
• Offer timely and relevant training to current and incoming staff to increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover
• Partner with Ivy Tech to support the creation of short-term certification programs in Early Childhood Education

GOAL 2: Support families

Families are utilizing all funding opportunities available to afford and access child care and education resources

Strategies
• Partner with MCS and local childcare providers to spread awareness of CCDF couchers and On My Way Pre-K (OMWPK) vouchers
• Assist families in signing up for couchers
• Create an awareness through BY5 marketing of new, higher income guidelines for vouchers
• Work directly with local providers on their own marketing plans to promote their ability to accept vouchers
• Support Providers in offering meaningful family engagement activities
• Provide Welcome Baby Bags to parents delivering at IU Ball Memorial Hospital
• Contract to provide Early Screenings and Interventions for children 3-5 years old

GOAL 3: Employers are engaged in Kindergarten readiness

Employers in the area understand the effects of unreliable childcare on workforce turnover.

Strategies
• Host information sessions for employers that are interested in learning more about the various options for offering childcare as an employee benefit
• Offer presentations by vendors who provide childcare options to help streamline processes for employer sponsored childcare
• Work with current employers to encourage understanding of ways to contract seats for local employers
•Employer-Sponsored Childcare Grant support and administration

Our Core Values

Restore hope in our future

We all live for the chance at a better future.

Reinvigorate the stakeholders

We will inspire them to
prioritize the cause.

Reinvent our community

Our pride needs to be a foundation, not a blueprint.

Early childhood development has been adopted as a primary economic development strategy by a number of key groups in Muncie, including the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance, the Ball Brothers Foundation and the Muncie Action Plan.