Triad Bright Futures

All donations received by Trailhead Institute will go directly to Triad Bright Futures!

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At Triad Bright Futures, we recognize that the challenges facing young children and their families are complex and interconnected, and no single organization can solve them alone. That’s why partners came together to create the Bright Futures Roadmap, a community-wide strategy to support the health and well-being of families with young children in Jefferson, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. Our vision is that all families have the support they need to promote their child’s health and well-being for sustained success in school and in life. 

Triad Bright Futures coordinates with community partners to expand access to:

• Quality early child care and education 
• Family support and home visitation 
• Mental health consultation and resources
• Child development screening, assessment, and referrals

Triad Bright Futures serves as a gateway to local resources and information for families: 

• Connections to parenting support/home visiting
• Tips to promote learning, birth through age 8
• Information about child development

Triad Bright Futures also supports families and providers to enroll in the CO Universal Preschool Program (UPK).

UPK provides between $6,000 and $10,000 in financial assistance with tuition for children the year before they enter kindergarten.

With your support, Triad Bright Futures can amplify this collective effort and build a system where all children, regardless of their background, are given the best possible chance to thrive.

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In 2025, we saw significant progress in systems coordination and improved access to services: 

• We helped over 4,000 children in our region receive UPK funding. Since UPK launched three years ago, Triad Bright Futures has helped 12,000 children, ages 3 and 4, receive funding for preschool.
• We convened over 65 representatives from 38 organizations across Jeffco, Gilpin and Clear Creek to work toward collective goals, streamline access to services, support early childhood workforce development, and strengthen connections among partners.
• We supported implementation of a child care action plan and strategies in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties following last year's completion of a six-month early childhood community needs assessment with community partners and families.
• We launched the Impact on Equity Initiative, which pairs Latina community members who have lived experience in finding solutions to health challenges with change agents within organizations committed to supporting maternal and child health. The initiative's 20 Latina leaders participate in a 12-month learning cohort that combines direct service, training, credentialing, and practice alongside 19 expert co-mentors. Community leaders completed 539 practice hours, eight monthly learning sessions, and a full-day summer retreat. Peer project development meetings led to new community-based initiatives, including: a doula business, a lactation counseling group, a knitting group for pregnant moms, a nutrition initiative, a community health worker group, and educational programs in mental health and child development.

By working together, we are leveraging our combined expertise, resources, and relationships to address the root causes of inequities in early childhood development and education.