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(Goleta, Calif.) – First 5 Santa Barbara County is proud to announce the launch of the Aligned Leadership for Results Program, a groundbreaking leadership development initiative designed to strengthen collaboration, drive measurable change, and advance equity for children prenatal through age five and their families across the county. This initiative marks the beginning of a year-long strategic planning period.
Grounded in the Results Counts Framework created by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and brought locally by First 5 Santa Barbara County, the program equips leaders with tools, strategies, and a shared framework to address systemic challenges affecting young children and their families. Over the course of 13 months, approximately 35 participants from 22 agencies — including public servants, nonprofit leaders, healthcare professionals, and educators— will engage in 14 intensive sessions that emphasize data-driven decision-making, equity-focused strategies, and collaborative action.
Through this program, leaders will:
- Engage in data-centered conversations.
- Identify trusted community messengers to lead meaningful dialogue.
- Uncover root causes of barriers facing children and families.
- Develop and test targeted strategies that promote equitable outcomes.
- Build a foundation for long-term, systems-level change.
As part of this work, First 5 Santa Barbara County is committed to ensuring future investments are shaped by the voices of families and community members. Parents and caregivers will have meaningful opportunities to share their experiences, perspectives, and priorities– ensuring the program and efforts are responsive to the real needs of families.
“We are not waiting for the stars to align. The time is now, and we are choosing to create our own alignment. Together, we’re building a community of practice that actively works to change and improve systems, ensuring we deliver equitable, human-centered, and data-driven services and support. The world may be divided, but we don’t have to be.” – Wendy Sims-Moten, Executive Director
The inaugural cohort of the Aligned Leadership for Results Program brings together leaders from First 5 Santa Barbara County, Gateway Education, The Leni Fund, The J.S. Bower Foundation, The Santa Barbara Foundation, CommUnify, Carpinteria Children’s Project, Alpha Resource Center – Help Me Grow, MOXI – The Wolf Museum, LEAP Central Coast, United Way of Santa Barbara County, University of California Santa Barbara, CALM, Family Service Agency, First Presbyterian Church Early Childhood, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, St. Mark Preschool, and the County of Santa Barbara Executive Office, Child Support, Social Services, and Health. The initiative began this month and will conclude in September 2026.
First 5 Santa Barbara County exists to energize, activate, and mobilize local communities to be key change agents towards improving conditions and outcomes for children prenatal through age five, by naming and addressing inequities found in targeted populations prior to Kindergarten. The Aligned Leadership for Results Program is part of the focus area of Improved Systems of Care. For more information, visit first5sbc.org.
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