The University of Louisville and Thrive By 5 Louisville are expanding their collaborative early childhood partnership to provide direct support for campus families, enhance student workforce development and spearhead critical early childhood research.
“At the University of Louisville, student success and community connection go hand in hand,” said UofL President Gerry Bradley. “With our expanded collaboration with Thrive By 5 Louisville, we are investing in both our university family and the long-term prosperity of Louisville.”
The partnership builds on Thrive By 5 Louisville’s mission, supported by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Louisville Metro Government, to ensure three- and four-year-old children in Louisville have access to high-quality early childhood education. Under the new two-year Agreement for Family Navigation Services, the collaboration integrates comprehensive supportive services directly into the university, impacting UofL students, faculty, staff and regional childcare workers.
“I created Thrive By 5 Louisville to make high-quality early learning more accessible and affordable for Louisville families,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “This partnership with UofL connects more families to the support they need, strengthens local early learning centers and brings top-tier research and a dedicated workforce pipeline to Louisville’s early learning ecosystem. Together, we are building a city where every child and every working family has the opportunity to flourish.”
“This collaboration strengthens all the contributors who need or support early childhood education in our city,” said Reylene Robinson, executive director of Thrive By 5 Louisville. “When children have access to strong early learning centers, they are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn. When parents have dependable childcare, they have more reliable options for working, studying and supporting their families. And when providers have the educators they need, Louisville grows a stronger and more stable childcare system.”
The expanded initiative features three core pillars:
- On-Campus Family Navigation: A dedicated, confidential Family Navigation office will operate two days per week within UofL’s Center for Belonging, Access and Engagement (BAE). The office will provide free concierge-style resource navigation, helping parenting students, faculty and staff locate quality childcare and apply for vital financial support, including the state Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and Thrive By 5 Louisville’s Family Access Scholarships.
- Future Ready Scholars Program: UofL currently supports 14 Future Ready Scholars. These students complete a minimum of 25 hours of paid work per week at one of Thrive By 5 Louisville’s Quality+ early learning sites while receiving full scholarships covering tuition, books and fees, bridging vital hands-on workforce experience with academic progress.
- Research and Evaluation: Through March 2028, a research team led by Becky Antle, director of UofL Center for Family and Community Well-Being and professor at UofL Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, in partnership with Valor Insights LLC, a Louisville consulting firm, will conduct rigorous evaluation of Thrive By 5 Louisville’s Quality+ pilot initiatives to assess community impact.
“This collaboration seamlessly connects family support, student workforce readiness and institutional research expertise,” said Douglas Craddock, UofL vice president for community engagement and board member for Thrive By 5 Louisville. “We want our parenting students and dedicated staff to know they are fully supported at every stage of their educational and professional journeys.”
