The California Early Childhood Mentor Program (CECMP) began in 1988 as a pilot project at Chabot College, originally known as the Child Care Employee Project. The program was launched with generous support from United Way of the Bay Area and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to strengthen the professional development of early childhood educators.
In 1991, the program expanded thanks to $269,614 in contributions from eight private foundations, including:
- The American Express Philanthropic Program
- ARCO Foundation
- The Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education at Wheelock College
- Clorox Company Foundation
- Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- San Francisco Foundation
- The Morris Stulsaft Foundation
The following year, Chabot College partnered with the California Department of Education, securing $669,000 from the Federal Child Care and Development Block Grant to support participating colleges and extend the program to eight more community colleges.
The CECMP transitioned under the California Department of Social Service during the fiscal year 2021-22; coinciding with the broader transfer of state childcare programs form the Department of Education under the Childhood Development Act of 2020 (Senate Bill 98).
Since then, CECMP has continued to grow steadily, expanding from a small pilot into a statewide network of nearly 100 California Community Colleges and ECE Programs, all dedicated to elevating the quality of early childhood education through mentoring, leadership, and professional collaboration.