The DaSy Center is working with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) to explore the feasibility of using a Pay for Success (PFS) funding model with Part C and 619 preschool programs. PFS is an innovative financing mechanism that harnesses private capital to fund evidence-based prevention-focused programs or social services.
This page provides selected resources about PFS and Social Impact Bonds (a popular PFS model). This includes information about what PFS is, how to design and evaluate PFS initiatives, examples of current PFS efforts in early childhood, and examples of PFS in the news. Additional information is available in the presentation and recording of our 2016 PFS webinar.
PFS in the news
8 Preschool Pay For Success Pilots FundedOn December 22, 2016, the U.S. Department of Education announced $3 million in Pay for Success grants for preschool programs. These grants will allow ...Read more- FAQ: Preschool Pay for Success (PFS) Feasibility PilotThe U.S. Department of Education offers responses to Frequently Asked Questions related to their Preschool Pay for Success Feasibility Pilot grants. Visit their FAQs ...Read more
Chicago in Context: Considering Pay for Success to Improve Special EducationThis May 2016 blog post describes results from the Chicago Pay for Success project which expands the city’s Child Parent Center early education model. ...Read more
What is Pay for Success (PFS)?
The Critical Role of Education Data in Early Childhood Pay For Success EffortsConference: STATS-DC Date: August 2017 Presenters: Jennifer Tschantz , Megan Cox, & Donna Spiker This session will provide an overview of Pay For Success (PFS), an innovative financing mechanism ...Read more
The payoff of pay-for-successThis 2015 article describes some of the early PFS project in the U.S. and discusses some of the pros and cons of the model as ...Read more
Frequently Asked Questions: Social Impact BondsThis 2012 guide contains a set of common questions about Social Impact Bonds (a type of PFS model). Costa, K., Shah, S., ...Read more
Designing and evaluating PFS initiatives
Chicago’s Pay for Success Program Evaluation: Year 3Launched in 2014, this innovative public-private partnership expands Chicago Public Schools’ Child-Parent Center (CPC) program, making it possible for more than 2,600 kids and their ...Read more- Pay for Success Feasibility Tool kit: Considerations for State and Local LeadersReleased in October 2017, this tool kit provides general information on PFS and discusses important elements to consider during the feasibility phase of a PFS ...Read more
Pay for Success Project Assessment ToolThe PFS Project Assessment Tool (PAT) helps people answer a fundamental question: What makes for a strong PFS project? It describes core elements of PFS ...Read more
Organizations working on PFS
U.S. Department of EducationThe U.S. Department of Education now offers a page of resources related to Pay for Success, including links to Office of Management & Budget (OMB) ...Read more
Ready NationReadyNation was originally created in 2006 and has operated as a nonprofit since 2014. ReadyNation specializes in applying PFS finance to scaling up early childhood ...Read more- Institute for Child Success (ICS)The Institute for Child Success — an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy organization — provides guidance on PFS, targeted technical assistance (with support from ...Read more
PFS in early childhood
- Chicago’s Pay for Success Program Evaluation: Year 3Launched in 2014, this innovative public-private partnership expands Chicago Public Schools’ Child-Parent Center (CPC) program, making it possible for more than 2,600 kids and their ...Read more
- Urban Institute Early Childhood ToolkitThis Urban Institute toolkit is comprised of a series of briefs that provide a roadmap for stakeholders on how to use PFS to scale high-quality, ...Read more
Using benefit-cost analysis to scale up early childhood programs through Pay-for-Success financingThis 2015 journal article describes social impact borrowing as a new method for financing public sector, outlines contribution of benefit cost analysis (BCA), and discusses ...Read more
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