New NC Budget Takes Aim at the Child Care Crisis with $97 Million Investment to Support Families and Providers

In 2024-2025, the WNC Health Policy Initiative partnered with the WNC Early Childhood Coalition and other regional partners in the early childhood/childcare space to address the expiration of pandemic-era federal stabilization grants, along with other challenges facing the child care sector. On July 2, 2026, the NC General Assembly finally passed the 2026-2027 budget, which includes several funding several allocations and policies to support early childhood centers and providers.