What We Do

Our vision is to see children in San Luis Obispo County thrive in nurturing, respectful environments, and enter school healthy and ready to learn.

Our Mission: First 5 San Luis Obispo County funds and advocates for quality programs and services, to support children prenatal to five years old and their families, so that every child is healthy, learning and developing to their optimal potential, and ready to succeed in school and life.

First 5 SLO County does this in a number of ways:

• As a funder, we distribute over $1 million every year for early childhood programs.
• As a community connector, we collaborate, share resources, educate and bring people together to address emerging issues surrounding early childhood.
• As a team of advocates, we strive to create a powerful voice on behalf of children and families, and push for policy changes that pledge to put some of the most vulnerable among us – FIRST.

At First 5 SLO County, we focus our work and investments in all three of these areas around a multi-year Strategic Plan, developed with community involvement and Commissioner leadership. The First 5 SLO County Strategic Plan 2024-2028 is built upon three Focus Areas:

• Early Health Foundations: Promoting young children’s wellness and access to quality care.
• Early Learning & Child Care: Ensuring that from birth, children have rich and varied opportunities to develop their minds.
• Parent Engagement, Connection & Education: Supporting parents and families to build stable, nurturing and enriching home environments for young children.