Smart Start a Finalist for National Award
RALEIGH – Smart Start, Gov. Jim Hunt’s early childhood initiative, was recognized today as a finalist in the 1998 Innovations in American Government Awards competition, an awards program of the Ford Foundation and Harvard University which honors states’ efforts to solve their most pressing problems. Smart Start is one of 25 finalists in the awards program; 10 winners will be announced on Thursday, Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C.
“I’m proud that North Carolina’s team spirit has been recognized through our selection as a finalist for this prestigious award,” said Gov. Hunt. “Nothing is more important to our future than making sure our children have the tools they need to succeed. Smart Start works because it brings communities together to meet the needs of children, and it is making a difference for tens of thousands of children and families across North Carolina through better child care, health care and family support.”
The Innovations in American Government Awards program honors the top state initiatives that address the most significant problems facing government and will grant winning initiatives $100,000 each. In October, Smart Start representatives will travel to Washington, D.C., to give a presentation to the National Selection Committee of the Innovations program, which will choose the 10 winning programs in a public competition. The National Selection Committee for the Innovations Awards is composed of former elected officials, private industry leaders and journalists, and is chaired by David Gergen, former advisor to four presidents and current editor at large at U.S. News & World Report.
North Carolina is no stranger to the Innovations Awards. The state has won three times in the past 12 years, most recently in 1997 for its Structured Sentencing program.
The Innovations in American Government Awards are funded by the Ford Foundation and administered by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, in partnership with the Council for Excellence in Government. The Innovations in American Government Awards received more than 1,400 applications in 1998. In May, the field was narrowed down to 97 semi-finalists, and today’s announcement reduced the number to just 25. Each of the 25 finalists receives a $20,000 grant from the Ford Foundation.
Since the Innovations program began in 1986, the Ford Foundation has awarded grants totaling $13.3 million to 115 winners and 90 finalists. More than 85 percent of the programs receiving Innovations Awards have been replicated.
Smart Start, launched in 1993, is a national model for early childhood education. Smart Start is helping children and families across North Carolina obtain affordable child care, health care and family support. Smart Start focuses on children from 0 to 5 to ensure they begin school healthy and ready to succeed. Its comprehensive, innovative approach is reaching thousands of children and getting results.
Smart Start is now serving children and families in 55 counties with the remaining counties waiting for Smart Start services. Gov. Hunt has made it a priority to see that Smart Start gets full funding from the NC General Assembly to get the program up and running in all 100 counties this year.
Since Smart Start began it has helped more than 100,000 children get the quality care they need. More than 26,000 child care teachers have benefited from education and training; more than 97,000 children have received preventive health care through screenings; and more than 60,000 parents have received education and family support.
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Date Posted: 9/10/98
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