Stronger Futures for Children: How States Are Building Steady Funding for Kids

A new report from the Children’s Funding Project, State Strategies for Sustained Investment in Kids: A Landscape of Dedicated Funding, explores how states are building reliable, long-term public investments for children and youth. The report examines more than twenty successful state models using dedicated revenue sources—from sales and excise taxes to land trust funds—to sustain early learning, child care, and after-school programs.

For California’s early learning community, these insights provide a roadmap for strengthening advocacy and creating consistent, equitable systems of care. With programs like First 5 already paving the way, the state can learn from national examples that balance innovation with stability, ensuring every child benefits from a secure foundation of support.

Sustaining Support for the Next Generation

The State Strategies for Sustained Investment in Kids: A Landscape of Dedicated Funding report, released on September 25, 2025, maps how states across the country are securing dependable public resources for children and youth. Created by the Children’s Funding Project, the report details how revenue from sales taxes, excise fees, gaming, cannabis, and land trusts is being used to strengthen early learning, child care, after-school programming, and youth wellness initiatives.

Creating Reliable Systems of Care

This report encourages policymakers and advocates to move beyond short-term funding cycles and focus on steady, child-centered financial planning. Drawing from examples in more than twenty states, it outlines tested methods for forming advocacy coalitions, establishing transparent funding systems, and identifying new sources of support. Each model shows that stable investment leads to stronger, more equitable outcomes for young people and their communities.

Guidance for California’s Early Learning Field

For EveryChild California members, the findings are particularly relevant. As California continues its investment in early education through efforts such as First 5, the report provides perspective on how the state’s approach compares nationwide.

It also presents actionable strategies for sustaining programs that serve families and children across the state. Reviewing this national landscape can help early learning leaders sharpen their advocacy, connect with wider networks, and design a financial future where stability supports every child’s potential.

Read the Full Report: State Strategies for Sustained Investment in Kids: A Landscape of Dedicated Funding

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