The election season kicked off with a strong start when voters in Kalamazoo County, MI, passed the first voter-approved children’s fund of 2026 during Michigan’s August 4 primary election. The “Yes for Families” initiative, which will dedicate $6.3 million annually to early childhood education, secured an overwhelming 63% of the countywide vote. On November 3, voters in seven additional localities (and one state) will have an opportunity to dedicate new, public revenue to improving child and youth outcomes, while voters in San Antonio, TX, will have a reauthorization measure for Pre-K 4 SA on their ballots.

The communities where these measures are on the ballot are as diverse as the measures themselves. Voters from coast to coast, in big and small counties and cities, rural and urban, Republican and Democratic, will decide on ballot measures that feature a wide range of funding mechanisms and investments. These include investments for child care affordability and accessibility, workforce support for child care providers, preschool, mental health and well-being for children and youth, and economic stability for parents of newborn children. Along with these local measures, Children’s Funding Project is also tracking state measures in Colorado that would dedicate additional revenue to early childhood care and education, as well as measures in Florida and California that could reduce revenue for existing funds or make it harder to dedicate funding in the future.

Visit Children’s Funding Project’s LinkedIn to follow along with these campaigns and see election results; then join us on December 8 from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. for a post-election webinar to hear directly from the leaders of these campaigns. If you’re inspired to take this on in your community, reach out for more information about our national ballot measure cohort and Children’s Funding Institute.

As of October 2026, 56 communities have voter-approved children’s funds in 12 states. Seven localities have measures that would dedicate new funding currently on the ballot.

New Local Measures

Boulder County, CO

Ballot Measure: 1A
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: $30 million annually
Funding Mechanism: 2.579 mill property tax
What It Will Fund: Child care subsidies, provider supports, and capacity building

If passed, Measure 1A would generate $30 million annually, dedicated to early childhood education in Boulder County, through a 2.579 mill property tax. The measure aims to fill critical gaps across the early childhood education system, with a focus on children 0-3. The Yes on 1A campaign, led by Brighter Start Boulder County, is the result of research and advocacy efforts led by the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County. Early Childhood Councils were created by Colorado state statute to serve as backbone infrastructure to local early childhood systems. Last year, the Early Learning Council of Larimer County led the successful effort behind a similar ballot measure that dedicated $22 million to early care and education.

The Early Childhood Council of Boulder County team and its Brighter Start Boulder County Coalition developed an investment plan that targets affordability, accessibility, and workforce stability. Investments include sliding scale tuition subsidies for middle income families and funding to close eligibility gaps and eliminate waitlists for the Colorado Childcare Assistance Program caused, in part, by a federal funding freeze earlier this year. The measure would also invest in creating new, high-quality infant and toddler seats and workforce stabilization to recruit and retain providers. Brighter Start Boulder County presented the plan to Boulder County Commissioners in July who unanimously voted to place the measure on the ballot. 

The Early Childhood Council of Boulder County is a member of Children’s Funding Project’s national ballot measure cohort and the Yes on 1A campaign received campaign contributions from our sister 501(c)(4) organization, Children’s Funding Accelerator.

Marin County, CA

Ballot Measure: Measure P
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: $12.5 million annually
Funding Mechanism: $0.05/square foot parcel tax (capped at 100K sq. ft.)
What It Will Fund: Child care affordability and expansion

Measure P seeks to dedicate $12.5 million annually to expanding child care access and affordability. The measure proposes a modest parcel tax, an uncommon funding mechanism only utilized by one other voter-approved children’s fund, the Oakland Children’s Initiative in Oakland, CA. California is unique in having the “parcel tax” as a distinct, voter-approved tax on real property. Unlike a typical property tax, parcel taxes are based on the size of a building on a parcel of land rather than a home’s property value. Measure P would establish a $0.05 tax per square foot of building area with the revenue dedicated to increasing access to high-quality child care and preschool for families with low and middle incomes as well as improving wages and compensation for child care providers and early educators. 

Measure P was referred to the ballot by signature petition, with the Marin Our Kids Our Future coalition submitting nearly double the 12,100 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. As a voter-led signature petition, the measure also will be decided by a simple majority, rather than the two-thirds majority required for measures referred by elected officials. 

The Yes on P Campaign received campaign contributions from our sister 501(c)(4) organization, Children’s Funding Accelerator.

Baltimore, MD

Ballot Measure: Question I
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: $18 million annually
Funding Mechanism: Set-aside equivalent to $0.03/$100 of property value
What It Will Fund: Financial supports for infants and families

Question I would amend the City of Baltimore’s charter to set aside a portion of the city’s revenue to establish and fund the Baltimore Baby Fund. The proposed funding mechanism is a mandatory annual appropriation of the city’s budget, equal to a certain amount of the city’s assessed property value, not a new tax or tax increase. 

The purpose of the fund is to enhance the economic stability of families with newborns in Baltimore. The measure is the result of an entirely volunteer effort led by The Maryland Child Alliance, an organization working to reduce childhood poverty in Maryland, which collected over 10,000 signatures to place a charter amendment on the ballot. Measure I is the group’s second attempt at a ballot measure. In 2024 the same group proposed a Baltimore Baby Bonus charter amendment, which would have mandated that the city make a one-time payment of at least $1,000 to every eligible Baltimore City resident upon the birth or adoption of a child. The first attempt was deemed unconstitutional after the Mayor’s Office and City Council filed a lawsuit to remove the measure from the ballot, because it mandated a policy specific enough that it would “deprive the City of any meaningful decision-making authority” about the policy.  Advocates revised the amendment to ensure that it does not specifically dictate how money must be spent, but limits spending “to enhance the economic stability of families with newborns in Baltimore City.” Mayor Scott has expressed support for the revised amendment.

The Yes on Question I campaign received campaign contributions from our sister 501(c)(4) organization, Children’s Funding Accelerator.

Buchanan County, MO

Ballot Measure: Proposition K
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: $4.5 million annually
Funding Mechanism: one-quarter of one cent sales tax
What It Will Fund: Mental health and well-being services for children and youth 0-19

Proposition K would dedicate revenue from a one-quarter of one cent sales tax to mental health and well-being services for children and youth ages 0-19. Missouri is one of a few states with state enabling legislation that allows communities to create voter-approved children’s funds. Two state statutes passed in the 1990s (RSMo §67.1775 and RSMo §210.861) allow Missouri counties to levy up to a one-quarter of one cent sales tax to create a children’s services fund that supports youth mental health and well-being prevention and intervention services. Other children’s services funds around the state utilize the funding for mental health screenings, home and family visiting, counseling services, transitional living, substance use prevention, family support services, and transitional living support, among other services. Buchanan County Commissioners voted unanimously to place Proposition K on the ballot which, if passed,  would establish the 12th children’s services fund in Missouri.

St. Louis, MO

Ballot Measure: Proposition B
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: $22 million annually
Funding Mechanism: one half of one cent sales tax
What It Will Fund: Child care

Proposition B is a charter amendment that, if passed, would dedicate about $22 million annually to child care subsidies for families and funding grants to child care providers in the City of St. Louis. In St. Louis, ballot measures that amend the city charter require 60% voter approval to pass. In order to achieve ballot placement, a grassroots coalition submitted over 36,000 signatures.

Proposition B is different from the other children’s services funds across the state of Missouri (including existing funds in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County) that utilize state legislation that allows communities to dedicate local funding to mental health and well-being services. In 2020, the City of St. Louis passed Proposition R, which renewed a property tax for mental health and well-being services for children and youth and increased the tax rate from $0.19 to $0.25 per $100 of assessed property valuation. The additional $2.3 million generated from the tax increase was dedicated to early childhood services. However, the state legislation used to create the fund only allows revenue to be used as grant funding for nonprofits and significant early childhood funding gaps have persisted. Proposition B is Best Start 4 Kids STL’s first step toward their goal to close that gap by dedicating $22 million annually to a sliding scale tuition subsidy that families could use at any participating licensed provider across many types of child care settings. Funding would also support provider grants to improve quality, workforce compensation, recruitment, and retention.   

Best Start for Kids STL received campaign contributions from our sister 501(c)(4) organization, Children’s Funding Accelerator.

New Local Multi-Issue Measures with a Dedicated Funding Percentage for Kids

San Diego, CA

Ballot Measure: Measure B, San Diego County Health & Safety Act
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: About $88 million (22% of the total estimated $400 million package)
Funding Mechanism: one-half cent sales tax
What It Will Fund: 22% of the total package is dedicated to child care. The measure also supports local healthcare coverage, public safety, nutrition assistance, and Tijuana River sewage clean-up

Children First San Diego along with the San Diego Foundation, CAL Fire Local 2881, and SEIU Local 221 are founding members of the diverse coalition behind the San Diego Health & Safety Act. The act, if passed, would impose a one-half cent sales tax to address a wide range of community needs, including healthcare, food insecurity, child care, public safety, and environmental issues (specifically cleaning toxic sewage in the Tijuana River). The measure was referred to the ballot by a citizen-driven petition campaign that gathered and submitted over 160,000 signatures, surpassing the 102,923 requirement. 

If passed, 22% of the revenue collected (approximately $88 million) would be dedicated to expanding access to infant and toddler care, supporting families on child care waitlists, and ensuring that members of the early childhood workforce receive fair compensation. Measure B will achieve this by funding child care vouchers, child care provider stipends, early childhood mental and behavioral health supports, and child safety and development programs.

Tempe, AZ

Ballot Measure: Proposition 424
Campaign Website
Projected Revenue for Kids: About $2 million annually (20% of a $10.1 million package)
Funding Mechanism: 0.5% sales tax
What It Will Fund: 20% dedicated to early childhood education, 20% to public transit, and 60% to public safety

As in San Diego, CA, funding on the ballot for kids is part of a larger local revenue raising package in Tempe, AZ. Proposition 424 is a multi-issue ballot measure that would dedicate 20% of the revenue from a 0.5% sales tax to early care and education. Tempe City Council referred the measure to the ballot, with funding divided between emergency services and public safety (60%), public transit (20%), and TempePRE (20%). TempePRE is the City of Tempe’s full-day preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds and serves about 200 children at six schools in the Tempe Elementary School District. The program uses the High Scope Curriculum and is aligned to the Arizona Early Learning Standards. Free and half-tuition options are available for income-eligible families. Funding from Proposition 424 would be used to expand the program’s capacity and access to free and reduced tuition.

Clear Creek County, CO

Ballot Measure: Clear Creek County Ballot Issue 1A
Ballot Language
Projected Revenue for Kids: $190,000 annually
Funding Mechanism: Lodging tax increase to 6%
What It Will Fund: At least 20% dedicated to child care, 10% to housing, 10% to tourism marketing, and remaining revenue toward public infrastructure and safety

Colorado state law authorizes localities to levy lodging taxes on the price of short-term rental rooms or accommodations in hotels, inns, guest houses, and similar spaces. Originally, lodging tax revenue was authorized only for use on tourism marketing and promotion. But in 2022, Colorado’s General Assembly passed House Bill 22-1177, expanding the allowable revenue uses to include support for child care and housing. In May 2025, House Bill 25-1247 further amended the lodging tax. The amendment allowed voters to increase county lodging taxes from 2% to a maximum 6% and allowed communities to use the revenue to support public infrastructure maintenance and public safety. In 2025, both Gilpin and Eagle counties passed measures to increase or rededicate their lodging taxes and direct a portion of the revenue to child care. 

While many cities and counties have passed lodging taxes, the portion of revenue directed toward child care varies. While child care is named as an allowable use of lodging tax revenue in these ballot measures, only a very small number of past measures have dedicated a specific percentage of their revenue to child care within their ballot language. Without specific dedication within the ballot language, the amount of revenue that flows to child care may change year to year through reallocation during annual budget cycles. However, this year, Clear Creek County is one of two Colorado counties proposing to dedicate a percentage of their lodging taxes to child care. 

Clear Creek County’s Issue 1A would increase the existing 2% lodging tax to 6%. The ballot language specifies that at least 20% of the anticipated $900,000 in annual revenue would be directed toward child care, 10% to housing, 10% to tourism promotion, and any of the remaining revenue toward public infrastructure and public safety. With the additional lodging tax revenue, the county’s total annual investment in child care would increase to about $190,000 annually, doubling the amount of county funding for child care scholarships.

Archuleta County, CO

Ballot Measure: Archuleta County Ballot Issue 1A
Ballot Language
Projected Revenue for Kids: $108,000 annually
Funding Mechanism: Lodging tax increase to 6%
What It Will Fund: 10% dedicated to child care, 80% to road maintenance, 10% to public safety

Like in Clear Creek County, Archuleta County’s Issue 1A would increase the lodging tax from 2% to 6%. The 4% increase would generate $1.08 million annually, with 80% dedicated to county roads and infrastructure, 10% to public safety, and 10%, about $108,000, to child care.

Local Reauthorization Measures

San Antonio, TX

Ballot Measure: Proposition A
Fund Website
Annual Revenue: $51.7 million
Funding Mechanism: 0.125% sales and use tax
What It Funds: Pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds

Pre-K 4 SA is an early childhood initiative dedicated to expanding access to high-quality, full-day preschool for San Antonio’s 3- and 4-year-olds, with a focus on children from economically disadvantaged families. The initiative, first established in 2012 and reauthorized in 2020, serves over 2,000 children and their families each year. Pre-K 4 SA’s 12-year program evaluation is a testament to the purpose of the program (creating a best-in-class, high-quality pre-K offering) with evidence that children who attended Pre-K 4 SA for two consecutive years showed improved kindergarten readiness across literacy, math, social-emotional, and other indicators. Proposition A would reauthorize Pre-K 4 SA’s 0.125% sales and use tax, extending the dedicated revenue for 20 years and allow the program to expand its services to include infant and toddler care.

State Measures

Colorado

Ballot Measure: Measure NN
Ballot Language
Campaign Website
What It Would Do: Raise the TABOR cap and allow the state to retain $4.5 billion in funding
What It Would Fund: K-12 education and services, then early childhood education

Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) limits how much revenue the state and local governments can keep and spend when revenue raised from existing tax rates exceeds projections. Measure NN raises the revenue cap to let the state keep $4.6 billion in surplus revenue that it would otherwise need to refund to taxpayers. The state would initially use this revenue to increase funding for public K-12 education by 2% each year. Over the next 10 years, additional surplus funds would be deposited in a new children’s fund that may be used to support disability services, school services, child care, and full-day pre-K, providing an opportunity for significant state investments in early childhood.

Ballot Measure: Amendment 87
Ballot Language
Campaign Website
What It Would Do: Replace the current state income tax with a graduated income tax to generate $2.7 billion in annual revenue
What It Would Fund: K-12 public schools, healthcare, and early care and education

The Protect Colorado’s Future coalition collected signatures to refer Amendment 87 to the ballot. If passed, the amendment would replace the current flat 4.4% state income tax with a six-bracket graduated income tax. The new tax structure would provide a net reduction in income taxes owed for individuals making less than $1 million, while increasing tax rates on income above $1 million. The change would generate an additional $2.7 billion annually that would be dedicated to schools, healthcare, and child care, though the percentage to each is not legally designated. Like Measure NN, it could dramatically increase state investment in early childhood, if passed. 

Another state measure, Proposition 136, directly conflicts with Amendment 87. The proposition would cap state income tax at the current 4.4% rate, generating no new revenue. If both Proposition 136 and Amendment 87 pass, the measure with the most votes would take effect. Proposition 136 would not interact with Measure NN.