Bernard van Leer Foundation:
www.bernardvanleer.org

The Bernard van Leer Foundation funds and shares knowledge about work in early childhood development. The foundation was established in 1949 and is based in the Netherlands .

Their mission is to improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically difficult circumstances. This is seen as a valuable end in itself and as a long-term means to promoting more cohesive, just and creative societies with equality of opportunity and rights for all.

They work primarily by supporting programmes implemented by partners in the field. These include public, private and community-based organizations. Where the strategy is intended to build local capacity, promote innovation and flexibility.

Ford Foundation:
www.fordfond.org

The Ford Foundation is a resource for innovative people and institutions worldwide. Their goals are to:

• Strengthen democratic values,
• Reduce poverty and injustice,
• Promote international cooperation and
• Advance human achievement

This has been their purpose for more than half a century. Created with gifts and bequests by Edsel and Henry Ford, the Foundation is an independent organization, with its own board.

Working together ....

• To develop and strengthen an alternate and sustainable community owned approach to child care and education in 200 ECCE facilities through building community owned institutional structures and its capacities at the village and the Gram Panchayat/Ward level  
• To strengthen mainstream early childhood care and education services of Integrated Child Development and Education Scheme in 2 Taluks of Bangalore Urban through community involvement and through improving learning levels of the teachers and the children
• To carry out an action research to refine strategic interventions of the community owned approach to ECCE and to create a basis for dialogue on the existing ECCE system to influence practices and policies of the State in the districts of Bangalore Urban and Rural