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.
