WILMINGTON, N.C. The Endowment is pleased to announce two new landscape assessments to guide strategic investments in early childhood systems, and entrepreneurship and innovation across New Hanover County. The Early Childhood Systems Landscape Analysis, led by NC Child, and the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Assessment, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will provide a data-driven foundation for future grantmaking and community partnerships.
“Each of these assessments will deepen our understanding of the systems that shape opportunity and wellbeing in New Hanover County,” said Sophie Dagenais, Interim President & CEO of The Endowment. “Early childhood systems set the trajectory for children’s development and enable parents to participate fully in the workforce, while entrepreneurship and innovation fuel our local talent pipeline and economic vitality. By grounding our strategies in data, lived experience, and collaboration, we will invest in solutions that strengthen families and expand pathways to prosperity across the county.”
Early Childhood Systems Landscape Analysis
The work of NC Child will illustrate the most-pressing early childhood needs in New Hanover County by identifying and mapping all early childhood providers, enrollment, and unmet needs, highlighting geographic gaps within the county, and key areas of need using publicly available data on children’s outcomes and access to services across health, family economic security, early and elementary education, and other early childhood domains at the county and census tract level. The work will help understand the scale of existing investments in early childhood support. NC Child will also identify effective strategies, practices, and initiatives from programs and direct service providers within and outside New Hanover County.
“This analysis will give us the information we need to target investments where they will have the greatest impact for children and families,” said David Stegall, Director of Education at The Endowment. “It ensures our work is intentional, coordinated, and responsive to the needs of our community.”
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem Assessment
In partnership with The Endowment, UNC-Chapel Hill will examine New Hanover County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The project will map existing programs, support organizations, and networks, identify gaps, analyze workforce and business trends, and highlight regional strengths.
The assessment will also review social, funding and capital networks, compare the region to similar coastal and regional economies, and benchmark promising models.
As with all of The Endowment’s ongoing assessments for strategy development, community voices will be central to the process. This work will engage partners in the ecosystem, including entrepreneurs, the spaces that support them, and economic development agencies. Local leaders across sectors will help to shape an implementation plan aimed at creating a cohesive, inclusive, and connected innovation network that drives equitable growth.
“This assessment will help us strengthen the infrastructure that supports local entrepreneurs,” said Terri Burhans, Network Officer for Community Development at The Endowment. “When those systems work well, more residents can turn ideas into opportunities.”
The Endowment’s approach is about building systems that last,” said Dagenais. “These two assessments—one focused on supporting our youngest residents, the other on fostering entrepreneurship and opportunity—reflect a continuum of investment across all stages of life that strengthens the social and economic fabric of New Hanover County.
About The Endowment
The Endowment’s mission is to improve the health, education, safety, and economic opportunity of every person in New Hanover County. The Endowment was established from the sale of the county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2020. The initial fund has grown from nearly $1.3 billion to more than $1.7 billion, allowing The Endowment to award millions in grants to our community every year, in perpetuity.
To stay informed about upcoming grant opportunities, news, and community events, follow The Endowment on social media or subscribe to the newsletter at www.theendowment.org
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