Julie Asher appointed inaugural executive director of the New Hampshire Early Childhood Funders Collaborative

The New Hampshire Early Childhood Funders Collaborative (NH ECFC) has appointed Julie Asher as its inaugural executive director. Asher will lead the Collaborative’s efforts to expand opportunities and increase supports for New Hampshire’s youngest children and their families.

Founded in 2021, the NH ECFC unites philanthropic partners in a shared mission to ensure that all young children and their families have access to high quality, comprehensive and responsive supports — enabling them to be healthy, to learn and to thrive, now and in the future. Since its founding, NH ECFC has worked to increase coordination among funders, support the early childhood field and elevate the voices of providers and families. Later this year, NH ECFC will embark on a comprehensive cost-of-care study to assess the true cost of providing all New Hampshire children with a quality early care and education experience.

With more than two decades of experience in early childhood policy, philanthropy, and organizational strategy, Asher is well-positioned to advance the NH ECFC’s mission. In her new role, she will focus on strengthening collaboration among members, advancing joint funding and advocacy initiatives, ensuring effective operations, and promoting growth and coordinating investment in New Hampshire’s early childhood systems.

Previously, Asher served as a Partner at New Profit, where she led a major public-private partnership, overseeing investment strategies and scaling a quality improvement initiative impacting more than 100 early education programs across Massachusetts. She has also held leadership roles at Silver Lining Mentoring, the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and the Robin Hood Foundation.

Asher holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the Goldman School at UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Cornell University. She is an active civic leader, serving as a Commissioner for the City of Cambridge’s Human Services Commission and engaging in various advisory and leadership cohorts.

“I’m honored to join the Collaborative at such a critical time for families with young children in New Hampshire,” Asher said. “I look forward to listening, learning, and working together with members to strengthen and amplify our shared impact.”

“We are so pleased to have Julie join the Collaborative,” said Patti Baum, NH ECFC member and program director at the New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation. “Her knowledge and expertise will enable the Collaborative to grow our effort to strengthen the early childhood system in New Hampshire. The funding partners are eager to work with Julie in responding to the needs of families with young children, with an emphasis on assuring equitable access for all.”

NH ECFC is a coalition of New Hampshire funders and other organizations dedicated to improving outcomes for young children in New Hampshire. Its inaugural members include: The Couch Family Foundation, Eastern Bank Foundation, Endowment for Health, Granite United Way, Mascoma Bank, Monadnock United Way, the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and its Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund, New Hampshire Children’s Health Foundation, New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority, and the United Way of Nashua.

NH ECFC welcomes new funders to join the Collaborative. To learn more, follow the Collaborative on LinkedIn.