Grant partnerships South Carolina First Steps recently secured a $2.25M grant from The Leon Levine Foundation to pilot a new approach for early childhood readiness, indicating openness to scalable program funding and potential for co-funded pilot initiatives.

Executive leadership Ann Vandervliet was appointed as executive director in 2024, signaling leadership change and potential strategic pivots; a good window to discuss alignment on organizational priorities and new vendor partnerships.

Public–private model As a public-private partnership focused on early childhood services, the organization is likely accustomed to multi-stakeholder collaborations, grants, and vendor contracts, presenting opportunities for service providers, technology, and evaluation partners.

Technology stack Utilizes a mix of enterprise and compliance tools (Sage Intacct, iCIMS, PowerDMS, KnowBe4, Piwik PRO Core) and marketing pixels; potential upsell areas include fintech integration, HR/onboarding systems, risk/compliance solutions, and data analytics partnerships.

Growth initiatives Past initiatives like Countdown to Kindergarten and partnerships with entities such as Dollywood Foundation suggest a growth and outreach focus; ideal opportunity for education-focused programs, data-driven outcomes, and scalable community engagement solutions.