Thrive Birth to Five has been the Richmond Region’s early childhood systems-building organization since 2007. In 2022, we were designated Ready Region Central by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation and the Virginia Department of Education.

Our regional coalition brings together public and private partners—including child care providers, school divisions, local and state government, nonprofits, philanthropies, and businesses—to work collectively toward a shared vision:
All children in our region will thrive, and race, place, and income will no longer determine success in school.


Our strategy focuses on addressing the most pressing issues facing children aged 0–5 and their families:

🔸 Family & Community Engagement – Building strong, two-way partnerships with parents, caregivers, and communities so everyone has the relationships, resources, and opportunities needed to support each child’s healthy development.

🔸 Child Wellbeing – Supporting the physical, mental, social, and emotional health of children so they can grow and learn.

🔸 High-Quality Early Childhood Care & Education – Building a system where quality is foundational and drives meaningful outcomes for children.

🔸 Affordable & Accessible Early Childhood Care & Education – Ensuring that families can access high-quality resources and services that meet their needs through a coordinated, collaborative, and easy-to-navigate system.

🔸 Workforce Capacity – Strengthening the early childhood workforce by addressing barriers to participation, supporting retention, attracting new talent, and uplifting the profession as a whole.

We proudly serve a diverse region that includes the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex, and the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg, and Richmond.

Together, we are building a more equitable early childhood system, where all children thrive.

Thrive Birth to Five

Ann Rohde Payes

This department coordinates and manages programs related to child care capacity and delivery.

Child Care Operations

This department focuses on enhancing the quality and effectiveness of early childhood education and development programs through data analysis and coordination.

Thrive Birth to Five

Org chart

Teams

Child Care Operations

Early Childhood Development

Offices

Thrive Birth to Five

Org chart

Teams

Child Care Operations

Early Childhood Development

Offices

Related companies