We are the hub and collective voice for Colorado’s Early Childhood Councils

Our Mission

A woman and a young girl planting a flower in a pot together at a table in a room filled with plants.

View of a mountain range with rocky peaks and a dense green forest in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

ECCLA advocates for and strengthens the accessibility, quality, and equity of local services and supports through a responsive statewide system of Early Childhood Councils, to benefit Colorado’s young children, their families, and early childhood professionals.

Our Vision

Colorado’s comprehensive early childhood system promotes thriving young children, their families, and communities

A couple holding a newborn baby in their home.

Family in kitchen, man pouring juice for boy, woman holding baby, boy looking at woman.

Our Story

The Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance (ECCLA) started in 1998 as an informal collaborative among Colorado's Early Childhood Councils. Recognizing the need for a stronger support system, we became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2013.

Now serving as the membership association for all 36 Early Childhood Councils across Colorado's 64 counties, ECCLA provides technical assistance, drives policy advocacy, enhances workforce supports, and fosters strategic partnerships.

We leverage our statewide network to align resources and scale effective solutions, ensuring Colorado's early childhood system meets the needs of children, families, and professionals.

Large group smiling at the camera on an outdoor patio.

What does it mean to be a system leader?

Our core values and guiding principles allow to provide meaningful support to the Early Childhood Councils and the early childhood workforce.

We are innovative thinkers who value new ideas, take smart risks, and develop and implement best practices.
We are a high-performing organization with a demonstrated impact to advance early childhood outcomes.
We unify and amplify the voices of communities to advance system-wide policy solutions.
We use data to guide our decisions and evaluate our work.
We meet people where they are and pursue community-informed solutions that meet the diverse needs of young children and families.
We authentically connect with thought partners and view this collective approach as the conduit for achieving a cohesive system.
We believe the early childhood system is comprised of a complex and interconnected ecosystem and work to support cross-sector growth and resilience.