It’s been a busy summer, and we’re excited to share highlights of the incredible work our grantee partners have been doing across the country!
Policy and Advocacy Wins
- Alabama: Alabama Institute for Social Justice + YWCA Central Alabama hosted a child care town hall in Birmingham with parents, providers, and community members.
- Maine: Maine People’s Alliance played a pivotal role in defending the state’s new paid family and medical leave program and mobilized members to engage with Senator Susan Collins on concerns about Medicaid and rural health impacts.
- Ohio: Child care organizations urged the governor to veto parts of the state budget, advocating for higher eligibility for publicly funded child care back to 160% of the Federal Poverty Level and support for Senate Bill 177. In this article, Tamara Lunan, Organizing Director of the CEO Project, is calls on Ohio’s legislature to take the two key steps. One is to raise eligibility for publicly funded child care back to 160% of the Federal Poverty Level and two to support the inclusion of the Senate Bill 177 into the state operating budget.
- Oregon: our partners at Family Forward Oregon shared with us that state lawmakers in Oregon unsuccessfully tried to pass an amendment that would have ended the Preschool for All program in Multnomah County.
- Virginia: Virginia Organizing hosted a virtual Back-to-School session for providers, families, and supporters, and will celebrate 30 years of advocacy with a three-day gathering this month.
Celebrating Leadership and Milestones
- Parent Voices CA: Celebrated 20 years under Executive Director Mary Ignatius, securing major family-centered policy victories—including modernized income eligibility for subsidized child care, reinstated programs, and safeguarded subsidies for thousands of families.
- Common Start Coalition (MA): Marked the first anniversary of Common Start policies for accessible, high-quality early education.
- Michigan: Child Advocates hosted the 2nd Michele Corey Child Advocacy Summit, featuring keynote Danielle Atkinson of Mothering Justice. Her speech was titled “Proactive Posture in a Defensive Stance: How to Keep Fighting Your Values.”
Community and Grassroots Action
- Spaces in Action (DC): Held a Day of Action advocating for increased funding for child care subsidies and educator pay equity.
- Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition: Continued PASO Institute work and educated Family & Friends Network providers on the new Care Worker Tax Credit; received a grant to amplify this resource.
- 9to5 Georgia: Released a video highlighting the impact of child care on providers and families following the Naptime is Over rally.
- OLÉ (New Mexico): Community organizers in New Mexico gathered families, renters, and community members to rally outside Albuquerque City Hall, advocating for the return of the RENT Act, workplace protections, and privacy rights.
- Alliance for Quality Education (New York): Completed a three-month statewide listening tour with families, educators, and communities to gather priorities for public education and child care systems.
- First Up (Pennsylvania): Staff visited the Capitol to thank legislators for passing HB 506, supporting workforce bonuses, and urged $55M in investments.
- Utah Association for the Education of Young Children (UAEYC): UAEYC’s Care for Kids Network hosted an in-person community conversation with state legislators and local leaders in Murray to discuss early childhood solutions.
Disaster Recovery and Emergency Response
- Louis, MO: WePower, Gateway Early Childhood Alliance, and Urban Sprouts Child Development Center helped formed an Early Child Care Tornado Response team, raising approximately $700,000 for emergency repairs.
- West Virginia: Mom’s Rising and Rattle the Windows, led by Amy Jo Hutchison, supported communities impacted by flash flooding with emergency relief stations, supplies, and school clothing vouchers.
State-Level Progress
- New Mexico: The Early Childhood Education and Care Department budget grew to nearly $1B, including $500M from the Early Childhood Trust Fund.
- Minnesota: Paid Family Leave law, passed in 2023, was finalized in June, offering eligible employees up to 12 weeks of medical leave and 12 weeks of family leave starting January 1, 2026.
- Mississippi: Child care voucher disbursements resumed after a temporary pause, and Springboard to Opportunities launched a summer cash program addressing food insecurity.
- Louisiana: The Power Coalition for Equity + Justice maintained $78M in early care and education funding, preserved the Early Childhood Care & Education Commission, revamped employer-supported child care tax credits, and established a Fatherhood Task Force.
Workforce Support
- Oregon: Lawmakers proposed $15.4M to support child care worker retention and recruitment—including $9M for one-time bonuses and $6.4M for apprenticeship programs offering on-the-job training and college credit.
- Colorado: Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition received a grant to distribute resources and help amplify the new Care Worker Tax Credit for family and friend providers.
We’re inspired by all of our grantee partners. Their dedication to children, families, and communities this summer—through advocacy, disaster response, leadership, and workforce support—shows the power of collective action.