In mid-2022, the Olson Foundation made its first major grant: a bold $3 million investment in early learning on Camano Island. Just over three years later, that funding has become the backbone of the Kindergarten Readiness Initiative — a growing, community-wide effort that’s changing the way families, educators, and institutions support young children in their earliest years.
Facilitated by the Stanwood-Camano Area Foundation (SCAF), the Kindergarten Readiness Initiative aims to improve kindergarten readiness outcomes and foster a shared community value of early education through a multi-faceted, innovative approach. Rather than maintaining existing programs, SCAF ensured the funding was directed toward new, impactful efforts that reach across sectors and neighborhoods.
The grant was built around four core goals: to increase access to early education tools, programs, and resources for all families; to create a community-wide culture that values early learning and literacy; to provide health and wellness support to young children and their caregivers; and to remove barriers to learning through creative, community-centered solutions.
This framework has guided over three years of meaningful progress and innovation across Camano Island and Stanwood—demonstrating the powerful impact of the Olson Foundation’s support.
SCAF has distributed learning kits to over 700 children, launched the StanCampreschools.com website to connect families with local childcare options, and hosted community trainings—like those with early education expert, Denita Dinger—to promote the importance of play and provide professional development. With Olson Foundation support, the school district opened three Transitional Kindergarten classrooms serving 48 students annually, while the grant also helped launch Camano Forest School, expand YMCA readiness programs reaching over 150 children, and fund an intergenerational preschool that brings young children and older adults together in a shared learning environment.
Through parenting classes, outdoor classrooms, and strong community partnerships, the Kindergarten Readiness Initiative has shown the power of uniting around early learning.
With the Olson Foundation’s $3 million grant, SCAF and its partners have expanded support for families, created new opportunities for young children, and sparked a cultural shift that values the early years as the foundation for lifelong success.
And the momentum continues to grow.
