We'd like to introduce Jodi-Renee Giron who has joined our staff as Grassroots and Outreach Advisor. Jodi-Renee’s primary task will be leading the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy beginning with Class 3, which kicks off mid-September. Jodi-Renee...
Category: Economic Development
FFN, Children’s Funding Project report highlights EC financing
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the fragility of Nebraska’s early childhood system. Generating adequate funding to support programs is challenging but essential to keeping Nebraskans working and businesses thriving. While federal emergency funds have...
School Readiness Tax Credit application window reopens for 2021 tax year
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. Our Step-by-Step Guides can help you plan your...
2021 Nebraska Legislature: Early childhood policy highlights
The first session of the 107th Nebraska Legislature adjourned sine die May 27. During the scheduled 90-day session, state senators debated and passed critical pieces of legislation, including a biennium budget, a Social Security tax cut and a bill to temporarily...
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative to host Elevate21 business summit for child care providers
Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative is proud to present Elevate in early June, an annual business summit that brings business training and resources to child care providers across Nebraska. In its third year, NECC has again made this event virtual to accommodate...
Sixpence receives funding boost in signed state budget
Nebraska Sixpence programs, which serve children prenatal through age 3, will receive a funding boost for the next two years as outlined in the state biennium budget signed by Governor Pete Ricketts today. Sixpence will receive an additional $2.5 million each of the...
LB351 becomes law, promotes child care quality and capacity in Nebraska
Child care providers have an easier path to meeting the needs of working parents and their communities with passage of LB351 in the Nebraska Legislature. Introduced by State Senator Lou Ann Linehan and signed by Governor Pete Ricketts today, the bill allows child care...
State budget proposal includes additional investments in Sixpence
Enhanced investments in Nebraska’s infants and toddlers are included in the state budget bill for FY2021/22–FY2022/23, which was presented today to the Nebraska Legislature. The bill proposes an increase of $2.5 million per year to the Nebraska Early Childhood...
Thriving Children, Families and Communities Conference set for September
High-quality early care and learning promotes children’s healthy development that sets them up for lifelong success, but it also affects parents’ ability to work and provide for their families, and communities’ ability to grow their local workforce and economy. Please...
Report: Lack of child care in rural Nebraska impacts business, communities, crime, security
First Five Nebraska Director Jason Prokop and Strategic Partnerships Advisor Mike Feeken recently joined a virtual panel with business, law enforcement and military leaders to release a new report by Council for a Strong America (CSA), Early Childhood Programs’...
Tax guidance for early childhood providers and business owners on COVID-19 relief funding
This guide was compiled for early childhood educators and business owners to provide additional information regarding the taxable status of state and federal COVID-19 relief funds. This is not a comprehensive guide and we recommend you work directly with your tax...
Incoming Administration proposes further economic relief for child care
Early childhood advocates received more detailed information about the Biden administration’s plans to increase the economic stability of the struggling child care industry—and the financial stability of working parents who depend on it. The $1.9 trillion proposal...











