Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative is a public charity based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 2012, it supports access to early educational resources for vulnerable children in Grand Rapids through work with partner organizations.
Key facts about Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
In short: Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative gave $2.4M across 10 grants in 2021 (avg $235K), mostly in Michigan. Source: 2021 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 27-3763547
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2021
- Annual giving (2021)
- $2,353,262
- Grants made (2021)
- 10
- Average grant
- $235,326
- Median grant
- $188,218
- Total assets
- $19,343,778
- Primary geography
- Michigan (100% of itemized 2021 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2021; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2021 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$19.3M
+150.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
-4.4% YoY
Grant Count
10
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$235K
+33.9% YoY
How Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative gives
- 80% of 2021 grantees were also funded in 2020. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to create and provide partners with support to increase the accessibility of early educational resources for vulnerable children in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its 2021 grants were designated for early childhood education.
Among its grantees, the Refugee Education Center describes its mission as supporting refugee children and families through educational support and youth development services, while fostering cultural knowledge and understanding. The Other Way Ministries says it empowers neighbors in a low-income Grand Rapids community through basic-needs assistance, referrals, and holistic programming. Catching the Dream Learning Center says it prepares children for kindergarten while preserving their identity, culture, and language.
Grantmaking
In 2021, the organization gave 10 grants totaling $2,353,262. Grants ranged from $23,700 to $743,452, with a median grant of $188,218.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2021 grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan. Listed recipients were in Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2021 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2021, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2021) to $2.5M (2020). In 2021 it made 10 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2021
The largest 2021 recipient was The Refugee Education Center ($743K). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 7 grants of 24 (29%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Refugee Education Center Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $743,452 |
| The Other Way Ministries Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $430,345 |
| YMCA Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $292,457 |
| Secom Resource Center Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $252,472 |
| Hispanic Center of West Michigan Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $189,536 |
| GRCC Grand Rapids, MI | Early Childhood Education | $186,900 |
| Catching the Dream Learning Center Battle Creek, MI | Early Childhood Education | $178,800 |
| New Level Sports Ministry Battle Creek, MI | Early Childhood Education | $30,000 |
| Sugar and Spice Battle Creek, MI | Early Childhood Education | $25,600 |
| Pre K International Child Care Center Kalamazoo, MI | Early Childhood Education | $23,700 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $19,343,778 | $17,801,769 | $6,196,003 | $2,353,262 (10) |
| 2020 | $7,709,939 | $13,081,274 | $6,275,673 | $2,460,922 (14) |
The filing notes that gala fundraising expenses are included as expenses on the financial statements but treated as a reduction of revenue on the Form 990.
| Metric | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,343,778 | $7,709,939 |
| Revenue | $17,801,769 | $13,081,274 |
| Expenses | $6,196,003 | $6,275,673 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,129 | $1,033 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2021
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2021 filing lists Amirah Vosburgh as Board Chair; Richard Clanton as Vice Chair; Cindy Droog as Secretary; and Eric Brown as Treasurer. Other listed board members were Misti Stanton, Andrew Vredenburg, Dr Abeba Berhane, Arthur Betancourt, Tracey Fountain, and Amy DeLeeuw.
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative is led by Nkechy Ezeh, CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 11 officers listed in 2021 is compensated.
Officers on the 2021 filing
Nkechy Ezeh
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$131K (2020) → $141K (2021)
Amirah Vosburgh
Board Chair
President → Board Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abeba Berhane
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Vredenburg
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arthur Betancourt
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Brown
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Misti Stanton
Board Member
Secretary → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy DeLeeuw
Board Member
New on the 2021 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Droog
Secretary
New on the 2021 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Clanton
Vice Chair
New on the 2021 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracey Fountain
Board Member
New on the 2021 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Annemarie Valdez (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Celeste Lloyd (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jackie Nickel (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Preston Burrell (2020) — Board Member
- Former: William Bennett (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2021. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2021 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2021 filing was $141K, to Dr Nkechy Ezeh (CEO).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 7828, Grand Rapids, MI 49510
Phone: (616) 819-1407
Website: https://elncgr.org
Frequently asked questions about Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
How much does Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative give each year?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative gave $2.4M across 10 grants in 2021, according to its 2021 IRS Form 990. In 2020 it gave $2.5M across 14 grants.
What is Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's typical grant size?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's median grant in 2021 was $188,218, and its average grant was $235,326, across 10 grants on its 2021 IRS Form 990.
Where does Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative give grants?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative gives mostly in Michigan: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2021 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Grand Rapids, MI (6 grants) and Battle Creek, MI (3 grants).
Does Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative give general operating support?
Not in 2021: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's 2021 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Early Childhood Education" (10 grants).
Who are Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's largest grantees?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's largest 2021 grantees include The Refugee Education Center ($743,452), The Other Way Ministries ($430,345) and YMCA ($292,457), according to its 2021 IRS Form 990. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2021 grant dollars.
How large is Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative reported $19.3M in total assets on its 2021 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.8M.
What does Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to create and provide partners with support to increase the accessibility of early educational resources for vulnerable children in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its 2021 grants were designated for early childhood education. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check elncgr.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's EIN?
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3763547. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2021.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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