First Five Nebraska is an initiative of Early Futures Partnership
First Five Nebraska is an initiative of Early Futures Partnership
On Monday afternoon, Nebraska took one step closer to deciding how best to use its $1.04 billion allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding with the adoption of AM2580 into LB1014, which was referred out of the Appropriations Committee earlier this month....
[Editor’s Note: Robert Patterson has been a leader at Omaha's Kids Can Community Center for the past 23 years. Kids Can is a nonprofit organization the provides early childhood and out-of-school care. He testified before the Legislature's Appropriations Committee in...
LB1203, which would use a portion of Nebraska’s $1 billion allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) dollars to strengthen the state’s early childhood system, was heard by the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee this week. The bill was introduced by State...
Note: The School Readiness Tax Credit program ended with the 2021 tax year. First Five Nebraska is exploring legislation to reinstate the tax credits to provide these important financial supports for child care providers. Nebraska licensed child care professionals,...
High-quality child care and early education bolsters Nebraska's businesses, helps grow local economies and supports working parents while providing safe, nurturing environments for young children. That was the message from a panel led by First Five Nebraska at the...
At the open house and celebration of Boone Beginnings in Albion on November 7, I realized something: I miss the power of celebrating the completion of a major community project. As a former economic development director, I experienced the opportunities of seeing...
FFN Director Jason Prokop said ARPA funds can help stabilize Nebraska’s early childhood workforce in testimony before the Appropriations Committee this week.
Nebraska’s statewide community of early childhood policy advocates just got larger. This past week, the 2021-22 class of the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy (PLA) kicked off in Kearney after a one-year pause in the program due to the onset of...
Editor's Note: After 10 years with First Five Nebraska, Becky Veak retired in August. She leaves us with these final thoughts. Thank you, Becky! After 14 years with Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and First Five Nebraska, I leave this incredible workplace to...
If your school district has not yet invited public input on the distribution of its forthcoming Emergency and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, you may still have an opportunity to advocate using them to promote...
We’re excited to announce the launch of First Five Nebraska’s new website. Featuring a fully responsive look and enhanced user experience, the new site was designed to educate and engage Nebraskans around critical early childhood news and policies in our state. “For...
Editor’s Note: Becky Veak retired at the end of August after a career advancing public policy that ranged from the Nebraska Legislature to Capitol Hill and state government to becoming the founding director of First Five Nebraska. We offer her our heartfelt thank you...