Ready by Five is a transformational investment project in the future academic success of some of Yakima's youngest.

Formed as a partnership of community members and public and private funds, Ready by Five is designed to develop new opportunities and strengthen existing learning efforts for children from birth to age 5. The goal of the project is to surround children wherever they are with high quality early learning environments so they arrive at kindergarten school-ready! In support of this goal, the project will create sustainable, integrated, and accessible model programs for early child development and family support services for the residents of east Yakima.

Ready by Five is one of two early learning demonstration communities in the state being primarily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Thrive By Five Washington. (The other early learning demonstration community is in White Center.) The two foundations provided an initial grant of nearly $1.2 million in December 2006 to fund the planning for the local upcoming project. The foundations announced an additional $5 million grant in May of 2008 to begin the first phase of services and for the design of a model early learning center in the area.