Mecklenburg Partnership for Children, commonly known as Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, is a nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The organization funds and supports health, family support, early care and education programs serving children ages birth to five and their families throughout Mecklenburg County.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.8M
+49.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$24.1M
+4.3% YoY
Grant Count
19
-20.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.3M
+31.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Smart Start of Mecklenburg County mobilizes resources, forges partnerships, and supports families to improve early childhood health, education and development and ensure children are prepared for kindergarten.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Early care and education quality and accessibility
- Family support
- Health
- Early literacy for children birth to five
The organization supports over 30 programs in Mecklenburg County serving the prenatal to age 5 community.
Grantmaking
Mecklenburg Partnership for Children functions as a grantmaking organization with total giving of $24,170,728. Typical grant awards range from $5,500 to $18,970,011.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization serves Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, with programs and funding distributed throughout the county.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data:
- Total assets: $1,753,973
- Total giving: $24,170,728
- Annual revenue: $5.0M–$25.0M (estimated range)
- Number of employees: 37–61
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,753,973 | $1,170,490 | $3,360,557 |
| Revenue | $32,513,187 | $28,508,319 | $28,062,403 |
| Expenses | $31,444,935 | $30,163,576 | $28,578,536 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $129,414 | $40,722 | $1,692 |
| 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
111 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Mecklenburg County ($18,970,011), Childcare Resources ($1,318,430), Cms ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CARE RING INC CHARLOTTE, NC | NURSE FAMILY PSHIP | $169,622 |
| - CHARLOTTE, NC | PRESCHOOL | $113,499 |
| CMS CHARLOTTE, NC | NC PRE-K PROGRAM | $500,000 |
| CHARLOTTE SPEECH & HEARING GREENSBORO, NC | COMMUNITY LANGUAGE IMPACT PRM | $213,720 |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES CHARLOTTE, NC | PRESCHOOL | $283,656 |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES CHARLOTTE, NC | RAISING A READER | $110,505 |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES CHARLOTTE, NC | QUALITY EVERY DAY | $1,318,430 |
| CHILDCARE RESOURCES CHARLOTTE, NC | TEACHER COACHING | $400,182 |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS CHARLOTTE, NC | SAFE JOURNEY | $430,000 |
| BYE FOUNDATION CHARLOTTE, NC | FAMILY LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT | $125,507 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEN GILMAN | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
| LIZ BUCKINGHAM | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| AMANDA NITTO | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| TAMAR GOLDBLATT | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOANETTE FREEMAN | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | 1 | — |
| BRAXTON WINSTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELAINE LIBERATO JENKINS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EMILY NANNEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KRU TRIVEDI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LATOYA SCOTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAURA MEIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SHIVANI MEHTA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TAMIKIA TREENE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HEBA ABDELBAKY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JAKE HOUSE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JARED KEATON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KELLY KING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KIMBERLY HENDERSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MADDIE MYERS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TERESSA BEAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RENEE JOHNSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| AMANDA JOYNER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL L BLACKWELDER | CEO/CAO | 40 | $158,004 |
| CATHERINE J ETTERS | FINANCE DIRECTOR | 40 | $127,285 |
| JENNIFER STAMP | STRATEGIC INITIATIVES DIRECTOR | 40 | $115,867 |
| MARY-MARGARET KANTOR | CHIEF EARLY EDUCATION OFFICER | 40 | $111,876 |
| JAKE HOUSE | CEO | 40 | $101,040 |
Contact Information
Address: 601 East 5th Street, Suite 200/500 Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Phone: 704-377-6588
Website: www.smartstartofmeck.org
Social Media:
- Facebook: @smartstartmeck
- Twitter: @SmartStartMeck
EIN: 56-1853108
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mecklenburg Partnership for Children fund?
**Mission Statement:** Smart Start of Mecklenburg County mobilizes resources, forges partnerships, and supports families to improve early childhood health, education and development and ensure children are prepared for kindergarten. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Early care and education quality and accessibility • Family support • Health • Early literacy for children birth to five The organization supports over 30 programs in Mecklenburg County serving the prenatal to age 5 community.
How do I apply for a grant from Mecklenburg Partnership for Children?
Mecklenburg Partnership for Children functions as a grantmaking organization with total giving of $24,170,728. Typical grant awards range from $5,500 to $18,970,011. Primary funding focus areas include: • Nonprofit human services • Human and social service grants • Poverty alleviation grants • Education
Where does Mecklenburg Partnership for Children make grants?
The organization serves Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, with programs and funding distributed throughout the county.
What size grants does Mecklenburg Partnership for Children award?
In 2024, Mecklenburg Partnership for Children awarded 19 grants totaling $24.1M — an average of about $1.3M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Mecklenburg Partnership for Children's EIN?
Mecklenburg Partnership for Children's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1853108. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mecklenburg Partnership for Children's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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