Rosemount Center, a bilingual early learning nonprofit that has anchored Mount Pleasant for more than 50 years, is in a full sprint to keep its longtime home. Leaders say the center must raise roughly $1.2 million by April 30 to unlock critical city matching funds that could let it buy the building and avoid displacing hundreds of children and their families.
The center's landlord is selling the historic House of Mercy property, and Rosemount estimates the purchase price at about $7 million, a figure the nonprofit says it cannot reach on its own. The most urgent target is the $1.2 million in private money due by April 30 to trigger a D.C. government grant. As reported by WJLA, community donors and foundations have already started working with Rosemount to hit that mark before the deadline.
How the city match works
According to budget language adopted by the D.C. Council, the Deputy Mayor may award up to $3 million to help Rosemount purchase the property at 2000 Rosemount Avenue NW. The law directs $2 million to be made available earlier, then sets up a match where the city contributes $4 for every private dollar Rosemount raises above $1 million by April 30, 2026, with that matching portion capped at $1 million. Those written terms are why organizers say reaching the private donation threshold now is essential for unlocking the full package of public support; see D.C. Council.
Who Rosemount serves
Rosemount's website says the center serves almost 250 children and families each year and runs both center based classrooms and a home visiting program that reaches 55 families across all eight wards, according to Rosemount Center. The Mount Pleasant campus, located on property owned by the House of Mercy, offers dual language early education and supports many families living below the poverty line.
CEO Vernon Kelley told WJLA that “it just adds another layer of stress to these families,” describing how a forced move could ripple through households that depend on affordable, stable care.
Budget pressures are squeezing care
Advocates say Rosemount's real estate crunch is unfolding against a wider funding squeeze for early childhood programs across the District. The D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute notes that Fiscal Year 2026 budget choices left the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund below prior levels and warns that smaller awards or freezes could follow if out year funding is not restored, potentially cutting into support for teacher pay and basic program costs; see DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Those pressures are landing while many smaller providers are still absorbing pandemic era losses and facing rising operating expenses.
Community response and how to give
Local foundations, neighborhood fundraisers and parents have launched a Building Purchase Campaign and other efforts to help close the funding gap. The center's website outlines ways to donate and provides campaign materials, with the donate page and details available at rosemountcenter.com. Elected officials and ANC members have also raised Rosemount's situation in public meetings, according to DCist.
With April 30 approaching, families and staff are closely watching fundraising totals and the city's next moves. Organizers say even a partial match could buy crucial time, but if the gap remains, the neighborhood could be left scrambling for scarce replacement childcare slots in an already oversubscribed market.
