MDC INC

EDUCATIONAL EQUITY: MDC WORKS TO IMPROVE EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTH. WE WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS, CAREGIVERS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY AND OVERCOME BARRIERS THAT AFFECT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.GREAT EXPECTATIONS: MDC SERVES AS THE ACTIVATING AGENCY FOR THE KATE B. REYNOLDS CHARITABLE TRUST'S GREAT EXPECTATIONS EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE IN FORSYTH COUNTY. OVER THE PAST YEAR, MDC PROVIDED MORE THAN 900 HOURS OF DIRECT SUPPORT TO OVER 20 GRANTEES FOCUSED ON EARLY INTERVENTION AND HEALTH, ACCESS TO QUALITY CHILD CARE AND EARLY LEARNING, AND FAMILY ECONOMIC SUPPORT. SUPPORT INCLUDED FACILITATION, COACHING, CONFLICT NAVIGATION, GRANT RESEARCH, AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, ALL WITH A COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING LOCAL OWNERSHIP. RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE STRENGTHENING COLLARBOATION AND COMMUNICATION AMONG PARTNERS, DEVELOPING GRANTEES' SYSTEMS THINKING, AND SIMPLIFYING PROCESSES FOR ACCESSING AND SHARING RESOURCES.HOME-BASED CHILD CARE (HBCC): A VITAL AND VALUED PART OF THE NORTH CAROLINA EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM THROUGH TWO INTERCONNECTED SYSTEMS CHANGE INITIATIVES: A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE OF HBCC NETWORKS AND A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF PROVIDERS CALLED HAVEN. THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE NETWORK COHORT PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY HOME-BASED CHILD-CARE PROVIDERS ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA. RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE IDENTIFYING POLICY PRIORITIES TO ADDRESS THE CHILD CARE CRISIS IN NORTH CAROLINA, LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE VALUE OF HOME-BASED CHILD CARE, TWO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BEING SEATED ON THE NORTH CAROLINA CHILD CARE COMISSION, GRADUATING A COHORT OF EIGHT HAVEN PROVIDERS, AND ONE PROVIDER BECOMING A CERTIFIED TRAINER FOR THE NCDCDEE.LEARNING FOR EQUITY: A NETWORK FOR SOLUTIONS (LENS-NC): MDC HAS PARTNERED WITH OAK FOUNDATION, UNDER THEIR LEARNING DIFFERENCES PROGRAMME, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF RACE, EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, AND LEARNING DIFFERENCES AND TO ADVANCE STRONGER POLICY AND PRACTICE BY BUILDING A LEARNING AND ACTION NETWORK ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA CALLED LENS-NC. LENS-NC SUPPORTS 19 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH TRAINING, GRANT SUPPORT, CONVENINGS, AND OTHER ASSISTANCE. RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE PARTNERSHIP CREATION, NETWORK LEARNING IN DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY, AND PRODUCING RESOURCES FOR BROADER AUDIENCES.

OUR ECONOMIC SECURITY & MOBILITY (ESM) TEAM DESIGNS PROGRAMS AND ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES THAT KEEP MONEY IN THE HANDS OF WORKERS AND FAMILIES IN SOUTHERN COMMUNITIES WHO SPEND THEIR DOLLARS ON HOUSING, GROCERIES, CHILDCARE, AND SMALL BUSINESSES. IN SHORT, INVESTING IN PEOPLE MEANS INVESTING IN COMMUNITY STRENGTH. WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF ECONOMIC INSECURITY BY CONNECTING POLICY TO PEOPLE'S DAILY LIVES. THROUGH COALITION-BUILDING, NARRATIVE CHANGE, AND SYSTEMS DESIGN ROOTED IN LIVED EXPERIENCE, WE PUSH FOR POLICIES THAT REWARD LABOR FAIRLY, CREATE A JUST TAX SYSTEM, REDUCE STUDENT DEBT, AND ENSURE THAT ECONOMIC BENEFITS FLOW BACK TO THOSE DOING THE WORK THAT BUILDS COMMUNITY.NORTH CAROLINA TAX COALITION: MDC CONVENES THE NC TAX COALITION TO ADVOCATE FOR AN EQUITABLE TAX SYSTEM. THE NORTH CAROLINA TAX CREDIT COALITION MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES TOWARD BECOMING A RESPECTED LEADER IN OUR STATE'S TAX LANDSCAPE IN 2025. WE DEVELOPED A COMPREHENSIVE ACTION PLAN TO GUIDE PROGRAM INNOVATION AND POLICY INITIATIVES AND ESTABLISHED THREE DYNAMIC WORK GROUPS FOCUSED ON FREE TAX PREPARATION, TAX ADVOCACY, AND COALITION BUILDING. MDC RECENTLY PRODUCED A REPORT FOR THE COALITION THAT EXPLORES THE POTENTIAL FOR A RENTER'S TAX CREDIT IN NORTH CAROLINALAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT CENTER EQUITY AND IMPACT. IRS DIRECT FILE WAS IMPLEMENTED IN NORTH CAROLINA IN 2025 FOR 2024 TAX SEASON AFTER MDC AND COALITION PARTNERS SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATED FOR THE PROGRAM. NC WAS THE FIRST STATE WITH A STATE INCOME TAX IN THE SOUTH TO JOIN DIRECT FILE. WHILE UPTAKE WAS LIMITED AND THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN HALTED UNDER THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, THIS WORK DEMONSTRATES WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO PUSH FOR CHANGE. NORTH CAROLINA STUDENT DEBT RELIEF COALITION: THE NORTH CAROLINA STUDENT DEBT RELIEF COALITION (NC SDRC), CONVENED BY MDC, AIMS TO PROTECT BORROWERS AND ENSURE NORTH CAROLINA'S WORKERS HAVE THE TOOLS NEEDED TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THEIR STUDENT DEBT BURDENS AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES. THROUGH A STATEWIDE POLICY ROUNDTABLE, LANDSCAPE MAPPING, AND FIRSTHAND BORROWER STORIES COLLECTED IN 2025, THE SDRC IDENTIFIED URGENT REFORMS NEEDED TO PROTECT AND SUPPORT NORTH CAROLINA'S 1.4 MILLION BORROWERS FROM MISMANAGEMENT AND PREDATORY PRACTICES. THESE INSIGHTS SHAPED PUBLIC COMMENTS, SIGN-ON LETTERS, AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION THAT THE COALITION SUBMITTED TO INFORM POLICY DESIGN. THIS FALL (2025), THE MDC AND SDRC HOSTED A PODCAST EPISODE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND RELATED POLICY CHANGES ON SOUTHERNERS' HEALTH AND FINANCIAL WELLBEING. TO HELP BORROWERS NAVIGATE SHIFTING REPAYMENT REGULATIONS WITH CONFIDENCE, THE COALITION PUBLISHED TIMELY BORROWER GUIDES AND HOSTED WEBINARS ON STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS. OUR PRESENTATION AT THE PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY CONFERENCE EQUIPPED ORGANIZATIONS AND EMPLOYERS WITH TOOLS TO ADVOCATE FOR BORROWER-FRIENDLY POLICIES AND SUPPORT STAFF AND CONSTITUENCIES IN MANAGING STUDENT DEBT. INTEGRATED SERVICES DELIVERY: MDC SUPPORTS INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY BACKBONE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAYTI REBORN JUSTICE MOVEMENT (HRJM) BY STRENGTHENING THEIR DATA COLLECTION, INTERNAL COMMUNICATION, AND PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT TRACKING, AND STAFF CAPACITY TO BETTER SERVE PARTICIPANTS. MDC ALSO PROVIDES ONGOING, PEOPLE-CENTERED, TRAUMA-INFORMED COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO HRJM STAFF, HELPING THEM ALIGN WRAPAROUND SERVICES WITH RESIDENTS' SELF-DEFINED GOALS AND REINFORCING BACKWARD PLANNING FROM PARTICIPANT OUTCOMES.