Our Story & How to Get Involved
Collaborating to strengthen early childhood in Ravalli County.
Uniting Voices, Creating Solutions
The Bitterroot Early Childhood Coalition (BECC) brings together families, educators, healthcare providers, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders to tackle early childhood challenges—like limited child care, workforce instability, and rising costs—through collaboration rather than working in isolation.
Convened by the Bitterroot Early Learning Network (BELN), BECC provides a neutral space for coordinated action, relationship-building, and long-term strategies. BELN supports the coalition with facilitation and administration, allowing members to focus on meaningful solutions.
Our members bring diverse perspectives and lived experience, creating a complete picture of how early childhood systems work—and where they need improvement.
Many Ways to Get Involved, One Shared Goal
Participation in BECC is flexible and inclusive. Members engage in ways that fit their capacity—through meetings, initiatives, feedback, or advocacy—and all forms of involvement are valued. We prioritize respectful dialogue, shared leadership, and transparency, knowing diverse perspectives lead to stronger solutions.
Families bring lived experience to guide decisions. Providers and professionals gain connection, shared learning, and collective advocacy, while businesses and community leaders gain insight into how early childhood impacts workforce stability and the local economy.
Review the membership tiers below, then click “Join” to complete the Bitterroot Early Childhood Coalition membership form and start making an impact today.
Membership is free and open to anyone committed to improving early childhood outcomes in Ravalli County. Collaborators attend meetings, share resources, and participate in cross-sector community discussions that shape our collective work.
Annual Investment: Free
Partner with BELN to co-design and lead projects, share data, and participate in coalition initiatives. Partners provide voluntary annual support of $250 to sustain coalition coordination and outreach.
Annual Investment: $250
Invited sponsorship level for organizations that want to financially support coalition projects, data work, or community initiatives. Sponsors receive recognition on all coalition materials.
Annual Investment: $1,000
Strengthening Early Childhood, Strengthening Our Future
BECC believes early childhood is essential infrastructure. Access to high-quality child care affects workforce participation, economic stability, health outcomes, and educational success. Our work addresses challenges at their root, rather than reacting only when systems fail. Core areas of focus include:
- Expanding access to child care
Strengthening quality and workforce stability
Reducing administrative and systemic barriers for providers
Supporting families in navigating care
Aligning local efforts with state-level initiatives
We rely on data, lived experience, and continuous learning, creating space for shared inquiry and adaptive problem-solving.
United by a Vision for Stronger Early Childhood
The Bitterroot Early Childhood Coalition reflects BELN’s commitment to systems-based change rooted in relationships and shared responsibility. People come together not because they agree on everything, but because they agree that children, families, and educators deserve better systems.
