No Small Matter

Overview
Impact

Overview

No Small Matter is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for change in America today: early childhood education.

Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years, and reveals how our failure to act on that evidence has resulted in an everyday crisis for American families and a slow-motion catastrophe for the country.

No Small Matter is built from stories of real children, families, and teachers, illustrating the impact of high-quality early childhood experiences. We meet parents who are struggling to do their best for their kids, incredible teachers who model what early childhood classrooms should and could be like, and children learning and developing in real time. The film is also firmly grounded in science, opening up the “black box” of what’s happening inside children’s brains with exciting animation and the voices of compelling scientists, physicians, and ECE experts. Drawing on the work of economists and the latest research in brain imaging and child development, we break down complicated scientific details into layman’s terms, demystifying prevailing ideas that hinder our thinking about children’s behavior, and paving the way for us all to see what children truly need to thrive.

No Small Matter is unique in the way it dives deep into the complicated science, history, and sociology that has brought our early care and education system to where it is today, but does so without sacrificing entertainment or emotional impact. From a comic cameo by Cookie Monster to the tearful testimonial of an amazing preschool teacher making poverty-level wages, the film has the power to move audiences in ways that a policy factsheet or op-ed piece simply can’t do. No Small Matter changes the way audiences see the world, and in the process, help turn early childhood education into the grown-up issue it deserves to be.

Impact

In a 2017 poll by the First Five Years Fund, over 90% of Americans agreed that our elected leaders should work together to make quality early childhood education more accessible and affordable to low- and middle-income families. But, not enough Americans understand the critical urgency of getting this right — for their own children’s development, and for our society writ large. Few parents have the luxury of reading through the scientific studies outlining why, for instance, talking to their baby is crucial for their brain’s healthy growth.

Few voters understand the data outlining the huge return on investment early education interventions have demonstrated in study after study. And with so many issues cycling through our 24-hour news cycle — immigration, health care, deficits, budget cuts — early learning just hasn’t been on the front burner.

By redefining the public understanding of what’s happening inside children’s brains from birth to five, No Small Matter drives their needs to the top of our social and political agenda.

We worked with experts and stakeholders at the national and local levels to craft a campaign strategy, including two brain trusts with messaging experts and representatives from national advocacy organizations and conducted in-depth stakeholder interviews with over 80 additional experts.

Focusing on grassroots change, No Small Matter works with our expert and stakeholder partners to use the film and its campaign to:

Educate: Raise awareness about early learning among parents, care providers, and the general public
Motivate: Build momentum towards increasing access to quality early childhood care and education at the local, state and national levels

The film’s grassroots impact campaign is built on the following strategies:
A nationwide grassroots screening campaign: Screenings with national children’s organizations and lawmakers in major media markets are supported by highly targeted local campaigns in 10-12 states nationwide where legislation and private sector progress on early childhood education can be amplified by the film.

National “grass-tops,” digital, and PR efforts to bring attention to the issue and the film. No Small Matter has built a robust presence online, having released 100+ videos on Youtube and Facebook reaching more than 3 million people, highlighting children’s development, parenting and teaching tips, and outlining the state of childcare in America.