Grounded in Data. Guided by Need.
Every bold decision we make—and every dollar we invest—is backed by research. Since 2005, NCF has commissioned in-depth, countywide studies to uncover the most urgent gaps affecting Collier County’s children. These studies are more than reports—they’re roadmaps. They guide our funding, shape our seven Strategic Initiatives, and ensure that every donor dollar drives measurable, lasting change. Explore the studies below to see how NCF turns data into action—and compassion into results.
Identifying the Gaps
Between 2005 and 2025, the Naples Children Foundation (NCF) commissioned eight independent studies of the needs of children in Collier County to identify gaps in several key service areas and opportunities to improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of the county’s most vulnerable youth and adolescents. Conducted over the course of 20 years, later studies offer updates to the key indicator of Collier County’s child wellbeing, NCF’s mission and philanthropic interests and impacts from the Great Recession (that occurred from late 2007 to mid-2009) and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Research In Action
These landmark studies, conducted in collaboration with leading academic and research institutions, continue to shape our strategies, inform our funding and guide our Blueprint for children’s success.
Total Early Learning Initiative Funding Since 2008:
Leading to 65% of Collier County kindergartners who attended Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) deemed “Ready for Kindergarten” in 2023.
Total Healthcare Initiative Funding Since 2006:
Supporting two Healthcare Initiative partner campuses serving 60% of children in Collier County.
Total Hunger Initiative Funding Since 2011:
Leading to a 19% decrease of food insecurity in Collier County between 2017 and 2022.
Total Mental Health Initiative Funding Since 2012:
Allowing 3,000 Collier County children to be annually screened during their pediatric well visits.
Total Oral Initiative Funding Since 2006:
Leading to a 65% increase in the number of Collier County 3rd grade students with dental sealants on their permanent molars.
Total Out-of-School Time Initiative Funding Since 2012:
Contributing to a 22.7 percentage point increase of the graduation rate for Immokalee High School to 87.4% in 2023.
Total Vision Initiative Funding Since 2012:
Providing over 1,000 Collier County children with two pairs of glasses each year.
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2025 Collier County Early Learning Landscape Analysis and Roadmap
This study conducted in 2025 in collaboration with the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Business Alliance for Early Learning identifies key challenges related to the availability, affordability and workforce stability of early learning programs in Collier County. It is also the first step toward informing how NCF’s $8 million investment will be strategically utilized to expand high-quality early learning programs in the area. The findings will guide efforts to increase access to these programs, strengthen the early learning workforce and ensure that families, particularly those in underserved communities, can find and afford the care they need.
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2022 Study of Child Wellbeing
Conducted by the Luminary Evaluation Group, the 2022 study builds on NCF’s ongoing efforts toward timely and thorough data collection and analysis relating to child wellbeing in Collier County, as well as to NCF’s mission and philanthropic interests. Additionally, this study accounts for the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on children and youth, and how the Foundation’s interventions and support in response to these unprecedented circumstances were experienced by the community. It also identifies opportunities that will improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of the county’s most vulnerable children and adolescents.
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2017 Study of Child Wellbeing
Civitas Strategies conducted this study to comprehensively describe the current conditions and needs of children in Collier County using the most up-to-date and relevant data. Further, NCF wanted to identify opportunities to improve the physical, emotional and educational lives of the county’s neediest children and adolescents, so the effort included an examination of the services and systems trying to meet the needs of Collier County’s children in poverty. To focus the analysis, 16 key metrics were selected for their accuracy, reliability, relevance and consistency in guiding investment decisions. This study is also intended to serve a broader audience as a resource for all philanthropic organizations, non- and for-profit service providers and community leaders interested in the state of child wellbeing in Collier County.
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2010 Study of Child Wellbeing
The Lastinger Center for Learning at the University of Florida College of Education updated the demographics from the inaugural 2005 study. It identified the current conditions and needs of children in Collier Country, described and evaluated the overall children’s service delivery system, reported on the community impact of NCF’s philanthropic investments to date and identified new potentially high yielding investments which align with the guiding principles of NCF. It also noted the importance of identifying the growing needs of children and families who were affected by the Great Recession and pointed to how the community’s needs had changed.
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2005 Study of Child Wellbeing
In June of 2005, following the very successful 2004 Naples Winter Wine Festival, the Trustees of the NCF engaged the Lastinger Center for Learning at the University of Florida College of Education to perform the eight-month study — the first of its kind in Collier County — in order to identify significant gaps in several services areas, including early learning, after school, dental and medical healthcare. Its findings were subsequently used to help the NCF Trustees make informed and empirically based philanthropic investment strategies, with the goal of erasing these gaps. This study remains an important reference for all children’s not-for-profits in Collier County.