While the joyfulness of being a parent can never quite fully be put into words, every parent would likely agree on one phrase: babies are expensive! Diapers, baby gear, medical bills and child care. The cost of keeping tiny humans alive and setting them up for success is significant. Counties also understand this well, often stretched to capacity and burdened with waitlists for early childhood programs that administer critical supports, like child care subsidies and Early Intervention services. Recognizing the importance of the first three years in a child’s development, local governments are exploring ways to increase investments and employ strategies that improve access to these vital supports.
How counties finance early childhood programming varies across the nation. With complex federal funding streams from disparate agencies, in addition to any state and local funding sources, counties are tasked with maximizing any available dollars through blending and braiding techniques. However, even those strategies have limitations. Budget and resource strapped counties must seek capital elsewhere by streamlining or redistributing existing funds; seeking institutional or foundational support; applying for grants; assigning fees for service; establishing social impact, municipal or non-profit bonds; or passing excise tax and credits.
Under the crunch of political uncertainty and exhaustive funding constraints, here are a few ways that counties can generate support for early childhood investments from the bottom up:
Conduct an early childhood needs assessment analyzing local community trends and summarizing data about young children and families in your community;
Lead a community resource mapping exercise to identify assets and gaps;
Create a fiscal map to determine if existing funding is being allocated most effectively;
Determine if current services are being targeted to the appropriate populations and geographic areas of need;
Leverage findings to develop priorities with community input;
Engage residents and community stakeholders in budget discussions; and
Identify champions and use your local market (philanthropy, educational institutions and local businesses) to create new partnerships and build a broad-based advocacy effort.
There are many examples of counties who have successfully sought further community investments for children in their communities:
In 2002, and again in 2008, voters in Miami-Dade County, Florida, passed a referendum increasing property tax by $0.50 for every $1,000, raising about $100 million annually for the operation of The Children’s Trust;
In 2012, Boone County, Missouri, voters earmarked a special quarter-cent sales tax in 2012 creating the Children’s Services Fund dedicated to services for children under 19; and
Salt Lake County, Utah, launched a social impact bond through a Pay for Success model in 2013 to expand high-quality preschool slots.
Although the process to build a case for early investments can be arduous and lengthy, laying the groundwork to support children’s development in their earliest years reaps benefits that span into adulthood and positively impact the surrounding community. The National Association of Counties Research Foundation (NACoRF) recognizes that counties are often a catalyst for change across all levels of government, and in support, Peer Learning Networks will launch in early 2019 for rural, mid-size/suburban, and large/urban counties to share early childhood best practices and innovation. These resources have been designed to help your county expand early childhood programs and services and make critical steps to sustain these efforts over time. To learn more about how your county can take action or to sign up for a Peer Learning Network, please contact info@countiesforkids.org.