As communities manage the instability created by the current federal government shutdown—which has stalled or eliminated funding for critical child- and youth-focused programs—local voter-approved children’s funds are providing a stabilizing force in their communities. Local voter-approved children’s funds typically use their funding to fill gaps left by federal and state funding; however, in times of uncertainty they historically use their uniquely flexible funding and fiscal infrastructure to limit interruptions to critical services for children and youth. On their own, local voter-approved children’s funds are not sufficient to replace lost federal and state funding indefinitely. But in the short term, these local funds are making hard, but necessary, choices about their investments to serve the best interests of children in their communities.

Protecting Nutrition Assistance

In King County, WA, Best Starts for Kids is preparing to support families whose access to food will be threatened by an interruption of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, commonly known as WIC. This federal program provides critical nutrition assistance to nearly 30,000 women and children of low income in King County. The county’s existing WIC program funding could run out if the federal shutdown extends beyond October. Consequently, Best Starts for Kids will provide $1.5 million to help offset the lost federal funding. Best Starts for Kids plans to partner with Public Health—Seattle & King County and Safeway to direct the funding toward emergency food and formula vouchers that current King County WIC participants can redeem starting in early November if federal benefits lapse.

Supporting Head Start Programs

Across the country in Florida, the Children’s Services Council of Leon County has been closely monitoring how the federal government shutdown might affect local Head Start programs. With federal funding temporarily paused, classroom operations and staffing at four local Head Start centers could be in jeopardy, which means approximately 322 children and families would lose access to vital early childhood care and learning services. In September, Children’s Services Council of Leon County approved its fiscal year 2025-26 budget, which included a strategic commitment to provide more funding for Head Start. As such, the Children’s Services Council was able to quickly allocate up to $300,000 in emergency funding on October 27, 2025. These efforts will keep Head Start centers operational and staffed and ensure that children and families do not lose access during the shutdown.

Filling Federal Funding Gaps

Even before the federal government shutdown, voter-approved children’s funds, like the Children’s Services Council of Leon County, already were stepping in to fill gaps left by federal and state funding cuts and freezes. The Children’s Services Council of Leon County stepped in to cover a $500,000 federal funding gap that could have left working families in the county without critical after-school programs.

“Children’s Services Council is a vital partner in our community.” —Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna

It began in July 2025, when the U.S. Department of Education froze funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the only federal program dedicated to after-school and summer learning. With this federal funding in question, after-school programs run by Leon County School District and the United Way of the Big Bend risked closure, as both programs were to receive $2.1 million in federal funding. However, once the federal government lifted the funding freeze, the Florida Department of Education—which administers the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program—announced a 30% funding cut program-wide. With an already tight budget, Leon County Public Schools and the United Way could not absorb the shortfall and looked to the Children’s Services Council of Leon County for support. The Children’s Services Council of Leon County, which originally was prepared to temporarily cover the full $2.1 million while it was frozen, quickly redirected some of its existing budget funds to cover the $500,000 deficit.

“Children’s Services Council is a vital partner in our community,” said Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna. “Voters of Leon County overwhelmingly supported the creation of the Council to help fill gaps and ensure our children get what they need, like after-school programming. This is a great example of how they [Children’s Services Council] are delivering on that promise and stabilizing our community in the process.”

Preserving Preschool Access

Meanwhile, in Colorado, representatives from Denver Preschool Program are helping families who are affected by an enrollment freeze that is limiting access to the Denver Child Care Assistance program. The Denver Child Care Assistance Program is supported by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, which had new federal rules and state legislation that went into effect at the beginning of the year. The rules and legislation were meant to make child care more affordable and better sustain child care providers by limiting parent copays to no more than 7% of income, use reimbursement rates based on actual cost of care instead of market rate studies, and pay providers based on a child’s enrollment instead of attendance. However, since there was no increase in funding, the changes have overwhelmed the funding capacity of programs. Now many counties, including Denver County, placed enrollment freezes leaving many without resources for child care and preschool options. As part of the early childhood system in Denver, Denver Preschool Program connected families with resources to ensure continued access to child care and enrolled children who were eligible for Denver Preschool Program tuition credits into the program with participating providers.

These examples showcase the power of local voter-approved children’s funds in times of uncertainty and instability. Whether they are preparing contingency plans for a prolonged federal government shutdown or stepping in to support children and youth during state and federal funding cuts and freezes, voter-approved children’s funds remain vigilant and ready to respond to ensure the children in their communities have access to the programs they need.

Follow along as we track the stabilizing efforts of local voter-approved children’s funds as the shutdown continues and federal and state funding deficits widen.

Emma Reilly is a policy associate, voter-approved children’s funds; Marina Mendoza is senior manager, early childhood impact, and Olivia Allen is co-founder and vice president of strategy and advocacy at Children’s Funding Project