Soumya Bhat

Soumya joined Children’s Funding Project in 2025. As VP of Implementation of Impact, she oversees design, planning, implementation, documentation, and relationship management for complex, cross-team strategic public financing initiatives.

Soumya brings two decades of experience in early childhood policy, finance, and systems design to this role. Her skills include research, analysis, fiscal mapping, technical assistance, and stakeholder engagement. She is known for her attention to detail, ability to detect gaps, and empathy, which allows her to connect with and understand the perspectives of a wide range of partners.

From serving as an AmeriCorps *VISTA to partnering with philanthropic leaders, Soumya’s professional experiences have shaped her understanding of the complexities of designing and implementing policies that work for children and families. Previously at School Readiness Consulting, Soumya worked on state and regional projects with a focus on strategic advising, policy, and systems change to improve outcomes for young children. In her role at Policy Equity group, she facilitated a multi-state community of practice of partners working to scale farm-to-early care and education models statewide. While at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, she advocated at the local level for an equitable and transparent city budget and monitored the impacts of education and early childhood policies on DC’s low-income children and families. She also provided technical assistance to state child care administrators, conducted fiscal mapping studies, and worked with state and non-profit leaders to sustain early childhood and afterschool programs during her time with The Finance Project.

Soumya holds a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a B.S. in Psychology from Birmingham-Southern College. She and her husband live in Alexandria, VA and are kept busy by their energetic beagle, Cooper.