The Cape Cod Children’s Museum is delighted to announce its merger with Cape Cod Child Development Program the leading provider of early childhood education in the region.
“The Museum has been growing steadily over the years, and we had reached a stage where in order to meet the administrative requirements of a larger organization, we either had to add staff and overhead expenses, or find a partner who could provide those services for us while we grow,” said Jason Mead, President of the Children’s Museum board.
“Cape Cod Child Development Program was a natural fit for us, so I approached CEO Anne Colwell about exploring a merger,” Mead continued. “As a member of the Museum board, Anne recused herself from the process, and both organizations entered into a long period of due diligence to ensure the merger would be beneficial to both organizations, and most importantly, enable us to better serve our community.”
In September, the board of Cape Cod Child Development Program voted to accept the merger agreement that arose out of the due diligence period. The Museum will continue operations at its current location on Great Neck Road in Mashpee, including hosting its widely popular community events like the annual princess tea in September, its “Noon Year Eve” museum day, and its bowl-a-thon in February.
“This merger is about preparing the Museum for future growth and outreach, rather than making any immediate changes,” said Anne Colwell, CEO of Cape Cod Child Development. “In the upcoming years, we plan to expand outreach so that more families on the Cape can enjoy the Museum, including the neediest families on Cape Cod that our organization already serves.”
Cape Cod Child Development will maintain separate financial accounting for Children’s Museum programs and expenses, so that existing Museum donors can be assured their donations continue to directly support the Museum, while at the same time, the Museum will enjoy an operational efficiency and savings by utilizing CCCDP finance and administrative staff and systems.
“Of course we have ideas for new joint initiatives between CCCDP and the Museum,” Colwell added. “However, our first priority will always be ensuring the Children’s Museum is well-situated for a long future providing a joyful, educational play space for the children and families of Cape Cod.”
About Cape Cod Children’s Museum
The mission of the Cape Cod Children’s Museum is to encourage hands-on experiences that spark curiosity, creativity and imagination, engaging children and families in playful learning. As the only children’s educational resource of its kind in the Cape Cod area, the museum hosts over 50,000 annual visitors. To learn more about programs, events and exhibits, visit CapeCodChildrensMusem.org or connect with the museum on Facebook and Instagram.
About Cape Cod Child Development Program
For more than 47 years, the non-profit organization Cape Cod Child Development has provided exceptional care for the children and families of Cape Cod and the Islands. For additional information on Cape Cod Child Development, please visit www.cccdp.org or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
