Daily News

Donahue Institute Gets $30 Million for Head Start Program

HADLEY — The UMass Donahue Institute has been awarded a five-year,
$6 million per-year cooperative agreement to direct the Head Start
National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations
(NCPMFO). This new cooperative agreement has been awarded in
collaboration with the institute’s partners, Family Health International 360,
Zero to Three and UCLA Anderson School of Management.

The NCPMFO will disseminate clear, consistent messages on Office of
Head Start priorities for the development and implementation of sound
management systems and strong internal controls with each Head Start
funding grantee. The center’s work will include, but is not limited to,
topics such as risk management; governance; data collection and analysis;
budgeting; management of multiple funding sources; and leadership
development including the Head Start Management Fellows Program
conducted at UCLA.

The work of the National Centers will reach approximately 1,700 grantees
of Early Head Start and Head Start programs through enhanced networks
of grantee specialists that can work directly with Early Head Start and
Head Start grantees located in all states including American Indian and
Alaska Native tribes and Migrant and Seasonal. The NCPMFO is one of
six national center cooperative agreements recently awarded. The other
centers cover early childhood development, teaching, and learning; early
childhood health and wellness; early childhood quality assurance; parent,
family, and community engagement; and afterschool and summer
enrichment.

“After many years as a leader in providing Head Start training and
technical assistance in the New England region, UMass, and the Donahue
Institute have clearly earned this award as one of the Head Start National
Centers,” said UMass President Marty Meehan. “Along with other
National Centers and our partners we look forward to providing quality
services in leadership, governance, management, and fiscal systems across
the country.” Said Dr. J. Lynn Griesemer, Executive Director of UMass Donahue
Institute, “we are honored by the award of the NCPMFO by the Office of
Head Start. Having provided national and significant regional services to
Head Start and Early Head Start for the past 12 years including the recent
award of the Region 1 (New England) Training and Technical Assistance
5-year contract, the award of this national center builds upon our
reputation for providing quality service in support of children and their
families.”

The University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute is the public service,
outreach, and economic development group of the University of
Massachusetts President’s Office. Established in 1971, the Institute strives
to connect the Commonwealth with the resources of the University,
bridging theory and innovation with real world public and private sector
applications.