The Institute for Early Education Leadership and Innovation (IEELI) envisions a world in which all young children have access to high quality early care and education (ECE). To achieve this, IEELI develops and supports a growing corps of early educators to design, test, and implement innovative ideas and best practices in ECE centers, schools, home-based businesses, and systems.

Founded in 2016, IEELI grew out of the entrepreneurial leadership initiatives at University of Massachusetts-Boston, starting with a Post-Master’s Certificate in Early Education, Research, Policy, and Practice funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Care and Education. The Institute provides educators of young children with intensive training in entrepreneurial leadership, education research and policy, and small business growth and innovation. IEELI builds teams of change agents and connects educators with a growing network of established and emerging ECE leaders, as well as to its innovation lab and accelerator.

Over 2018, Impact Catalysts worked with IEELI to develop a detailed theory of change and framework for testing its hypotheses and measuring its impact. A detailed implementation plan has been developed and will be refined over the first six months. We are currently providing monthly coaching sessions for IEELI leadership as they implement and refine the plan.