Regional Forum: Healthy Beginnings

Every child deserves the best possible start in life, and investing in the earliest years is one of the most effective ways to ensure lifelong health, learning, and well-being. At IPA’s third 2025 Regional Forum, we’ll explore how philanthropy, health care, early education, and community organizations are working together to create a seamless system of care for infants, toddlers, and their families. Focusing on the work of First Things First Porter County, this event will highlight collaborative approaches that support prenatal to age 3 development, early relational health, and family well-being—ensuring every baby born in Indiana has the opportunity to thrive.

Through a shared commitment, local leaders are:

• Strengthening early childhood ecosystems by connecting families with critical resources from birth.
• Promoting brain development and early literacy through initiatives like Talking is Teaching.
• Investing in children’s futures with programs that encourage long-term educational savings.
• Empowering community partners as trusted messengers to reach new parents with essential information.

At this event, you’ll:

• Engage with experts and local changemakers advancing early childhood health and development.
• Explore research-backed strategies that are creating real impact in communities.
• Learn how you and your organization can help build a stronger support system for new families in your region.

About IPA Regional Forums

Every other year, in our off-conference cycle, IPA hosts Regional Forums—high-impact gatherings where we spotlight successful philanthropic initiatives from our members. These not-to-miss events bring together philanthropy and community partners to explore solutions to universal challenges and uncover strategies for scaling impact across Indiana. In 2025, our Regional Forums will focus on economic mobility—examining how philanthropy can create pathways to prosperity for Hoosier families.

2025 SCHEDULE

• Cradle to Career | June 11 | Muncie, IN
• Healthy Beginnings | September 10 | Porter County, IN 
• Housing as a Catalyst for Economic Mobility | October 22 | Indianapolis, IN
• Strengthening Child Care | November 13 | Montgomery County, IN