Over the past decade, the amount and focus of federal and state funding for children have become increasingly uncertain. Well-financed and high-quality early childhood, after-school, and youth employment programs and supports are essential to business leaders concerned with the development of competitive workforce and the ability of their communities to attract and retain employees. The instability of funding for these systems has caused local business leaders to examine their role in ensuring sustained financial support of critical children’s programs and services in their communities; while they cannot sustainably finance comprehensive child and youth development system singlehandedly, business leaders can play a critical role in making the up-front investments that make support sustainable public funding streams.