Education Comes First partners with nonprofit youth organizations to ensure learning continues beyond the classroom.
Our mission is to provide access to quality out of school programs which support academic success, build confidence, and strengthen mental, social, and emotional well-being. We aim to inspire a lifelong love of learning as a core belief.
Education doesn't end after the school day is over — children are always learning. Quality after school programs alongside summer camp day programs help students excel academically, build confidence in themselves, and develop essential life skills. Research has shown that students in these programs have better academic performance, graduate at a higher rate, and build a love of lifelong learning.
When we invest in after school learning, we are building a brighter future for our youth.
More about Education Comes First$367,500
In grants have gone out to ECF partner sites in the fall of 2024
2,894
Total members in ECF
35,461
Total hours read by members in the fall of 2024
33,172
Total hours spent on math by members in the fall of 2024
// real stories, real impact
The vision for Education Comes First began over 20 years ago with Mike, Phyllis, and Christian Conway, who dreamed of creating equal educational opportunities for children in under-resourced communities.
They believed that every child, regardless of their zip code, deserved access to high-quality educational support — and they spent two decades building the foundation to make that belief a reality.
20+
Years of vision before launch
Mike, Phyllis, and Christian Conway begin dreaming of a world where every child — regardless of zip code — has access to high-quality educational support. The seeds of Education Comes First are planted in a belief that opportunity should never be determined by geography.
Mike, Phyllis, and Christian Conway begin dreaming of a world where every child — regardless of zip code — has access to high-quality educational support. The seeds of Education Comes First are planted in a belief that opportunity should never be determined by geography.
Brian and Grace partner with the Conways to officially launch Education Comes First as a nonprofit. Together they build an organization dedicated to supporting out-of-school agencies, expanding educational programming across reading, math, social development, and academic confidence.
Brian and Grace partner with the Conways to officially launch Education Comes First as a nonprofit. Together they build an organization dedicated to supporting out-of-school agencies, expanding educational programming across reading, math, social development, and academic confidence.
ECF launches with just four pilot programs across Massachusetts and New York. Small in scale, but enormous in ambition — these first sites become the proof of concept that the model works and that students thrive with the right support.
ECF launches with just four pilot programs across Massachusetts and New York. Small in scale, but enormous in ambition — these first sites become the proof of concept that the model works and that students thrive with the right support.
What began as four programs has grown into a movement. ECF now operates across 26 sites spanning five states and one U.S. territory, serving more than 2,800 young people ages 5 to 18. Students are empowered to lead in their classrooms, stay on track to graduate, and pursue college, trades, or meaningful careers.
What began as four programs has grown into a movement. ECF now operates across 26 sites spanning five states and one U.S. territory, serving more than 2,800 young people ages 5 to 18. Students are empowered to lead in their classrooms, stay on track to graduate, and pursue college, trades, or meaningful careers.
26
Sites nationwide
5
States + 1 territory
2,800+
Youth ages 5–18
2021
Year founded
What began with just four pilot programs in Massachusetts and New York has grown to 26 sites across five states and one U.S. territory, serving more than 2,800 youth ages 5 to 18.
ECF empowers students to become leaders, stay on track to graduate, and explore meaningful futures through college, trades, or other pathways.
Learn about our impactContact us if you'd like to support, partner, or become a sponsor. Every contribution fuels the next chapter.
