Deciding How Ready by Five Funds Are Spent: The Resident Proposal Review Board

Deciding how the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage funding is spent is no small task. Supported by Kent County taxpayers, it is critical that residents have a strong voice in how these dollars are allocated. To ensure this, the Resident Proposal Review Board (RPRB) was created — a diverse group of nine community members from across Kent County who review proposals from service providers and make recommendations about which programs and services should be funded.

The RPRB was intentionally designed so that parents and community members could guide these important decisions, while First Steps Kent remains a neutral facilitator and funder. By separating community decision-making from administrative oversight, the process ensures that taxpayer investments are driven by the people they are meant to serve.

Four seats on the RPRB are reserved for parents, who are central to the decision-making process. Early in 2024, First Steps Kent put out a call for involved, passionate parents of children aged five and younger from across the county. Nearly 100 parents responded, submitting applications that shared their background, their children, their experience using early childhood services, and why they would be an excellent addition to the group. Parents who served on last year’s RPRB helped select the new members, ensuring continuity and community ownership.

To allow for flexibility, five parents participated this summer — four voting members and one alternate — representing different parts of Kent County and reflecting the community’s diversity. The six parent members were: Shae Nelson, Millie Martinez, Kayla Hopkins, Cara Sutliffe, and Brittany Franks.

Other members of the Resident Proposal Review Board include:

  • Kate Pew Wolters, representing the First Steps Kent Commission;

  • Sandra Ghoston-Jones, Management Analyst with the Kent County Administrator’s Office;

  • Ashley Copperstone, serving as the Early Childhood Expert;

  • and Kent County Commissioners Monica Polk-Sparks and Liz Morse.

Members of the Ready by Five Early Childhood Resident Proposal Review Board serve terms of up to two years, helping ensure the process remains accountable, community-driven, and rooted in parent voice.


Share Article: