The Early Learning Coalition of Marion County, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Ocala, Florida. Founded in 1999 as the Marion County School Readiness Coalition, it operates as a community-based planning, funding, and service coordinating organization that designs and manages an integrated system of early learning services. The organization serves children from birth through age 12 and their families across Marion County.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.6M
-1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-92.3% YoY
Grant Count
64
-35.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
-88.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To provide leadership and foster partnerships to optimize a quality early learning environment for children through child care, voluntary pre-kindergarten, and parent education.
Primary Program Areas:
School Readiness Program — Provides financial assistance to low-income families for early childhood education and care, enabling parents to become financially self-sufficient while preparing young children for school success. The program includes developmental screenings for children and referrals to health and educational specialists, addressing physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) — Designed to prepare Florida's children for kindergarten and develop skills needed for academic success.
Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) — Offers free counseling services to families including assistance finding quality child care programs, information about financial assistance options, provider referrals based on family preferences, and information about early learning programs including Head Start, Early Head Start, and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY).
Success By 6 — A parent initiative operated in partnership with United Way of Marion County.
Help Me Grow — A comprehensive, integrated statewide system designed to address early identification of developmental and/or behavioral concerns and link children and families to community-based developmental resources.
Free Prekindergarten for 4-year-olds
Free Books Program — Enrollment for children to receive free books.
Grantmaking
The organization administers grant-funded early learning initiatives and provides financial assistance to families. According to recent financial data, the organization reported total giving of $16,551,164 with typical awards ranging from $5,500 to $463,065.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Marion County, Florida. The organization is one of 30 Early Learning Coalitions operating statewide in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $4,626,528
- Total Revenue: $24,222,786
- Total Expenses: $24,219,099
- Number of Employees: 46
Historical Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $4,694,519
- Total Revenue: $37.4M
- Total Expenses: $37.5M
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,626,528 | $4,694,519 | $2,549,020 |
| Revenue | $24,222,786 | $37,400,656 | $21,809,947 |
| Expenses | $24,219,099 | $37,492,315 | $21,608,098 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,879 | $8,042 | $4,143 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARRIE THEALL | CEO | 40 | $127,110 |
| MARITZA ALEJANDRO | BOARD MEMBER | 0.14 | — |
| JENNIFER BECK | BOARD MEMBER | 0.14 | — |
| EARLENE CARTE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.16 | — |
| JENNIFER CHATTERTON | BOARD MEMBER | 0.06 | — |
| ELIZABETH CHRYST | BOARD MEMBER | 0.06 | — |
| BRENDA FORD | FORMER VICE | 0.37 | — |
| RICHARD FORRESTER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.12 | — |
| MARTY FUQUA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.13 | — |
| HEATHER GAMBLE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.13 | — |
| ANDREW GOBERDHAN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.16 | — |
| LOLA GONZALEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.01 | — |
| JEANNE HENNINGSEN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.04 | — |
| MARK S LANDER | BOARD MEMBER | 0.01 | — |
| THOMAS LOBIANCO | TREASURER | 0.33 | — |
| JENNIFER MCBRIDE | BOARD MEMBER | 0.16 | — |
| MATTHEW MCCLAIN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.06 | — |
| TODD PANZER | ACTING CHAIR | 0.37 | — |
| EVAN PITTS | SECRETARY | 0.35 | — |
| KATHY ROBBINS | BOARD MEMBER | 0.06 | — |
| MICHELLE STONE | EXITING BOAR | 0.01 | — |
| CECIL WILSON | BOARD MEMBER | 0.14 | — |
| SUSAN ROSE | CFO EFF. JAN | 40 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Early Learning Coalition of Marion County celebrated 25 years of operations, marking significant longevity in serving the community. The organization has received additional funding for childcare assistance programs to expand services to families in need.
Early Learning Coalition of Marion County celebrates 25 yearsThe organization serves approximately 2,216 children in Marion County through the School Readiness program.
Early Learning Coalition of Marion County celebrates 25 yearsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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