Community Funding Accelerator and Yakima Valley Partners for Education  Join Forces to Unlock $10 Million+ for Education and Economic Mobility Efforts in South-Central Washington

New partnership will apply for more than $10 million in funding to support and expand cradle-to-career efforts for Yakima Valley youth and families.

[September 18, 2025] The Community Funding Accelerator (CFA) and Yakima Valley Partners for Education (YVPE) have launched a new partnership to expand education and economic mobility opportunities in the Yakima Valley region of South Central Washington. Over the next year, the partnership will apply for over $10 million in funding to expand YVPE’s cradle to career services and resources to more residents across the region.

This partnership builds on YVPE’s impressive track record — from boosting participation in community-based literacy initiatives to raising FAFSA completion rates well above the state average — and positions the network to achieve even greater impact. CFA will help YVPE to diversify and grow its funding base, sharpen its long-term vision and strategy, and elevate stories of impact emerging from network efforts. 

“We are honored to serve Lower Yakima Valley and know we can expand our impact. ” said Collective Impact Director of YVPE, Suzy Diaz. “We are excited to expand our programming so more of our residents have a leg up in tomorrow’s workforce, while driving economic growth for Washington along the way.”

“All residents of Yakima Valley deserve the learning and career training opportunities to get a solid foothold in the workforce. We know how important cradle to career networks can be in improving economic mobility for communities. We’re proud to support Yakima Valley Partners for Education’s mission to create the systems and partnerships needed for communities to thrive in Yakima Valley.” said Anna Walters,  an Associate Director with CFA. 

To learn more about this announcement, visit YVPE’s website at https://yvpartnersforeducation.org/ and the CFA website at communityfundingaccelerator.org.

About the Community Funding Accelerator 

The Community Funding Accelerator (CFA) helps communities win and implement public funding. With a focus on cradle-to-career education and workforce pathways, CFA identifies relevant funding opportunities, builds coalitions, and provides deep technical assistance to submit winning applications. CFA also supports implementation to create innovative education and workforce solutions in communities across the U.S. The CFA program is led by Delivery Associates, a public sector consulting firm.

About Yakima Valley Partners for Education

Yakima Valley Partners for Education is a cradle-to-career collective impact network formed out of a commitment to work collaboratively to improve educational outcomes for all youth of Yakima Valley. The initial work focuses on the Lower Valley communities of Grandview, Sunnyside, Granger, and Mabton and the plan is to extend into Mid Valley followed by Upper Valley.