Insights from Experts
Talking Points
Talking Points offers insights from experts on the topics we know are important to organizations working to strengthen communities, including organizational development, childcare, and housing stabilization. Our writers share their knowledge, research, and practical strategies for building the structures and systems you need to promote excellence in service delivery.
Talking Points is published a minimum of monthly. Subscribing also gives you access to our Monthly Round Up, where we highlight blog posts, upcoming events, and newsworthy research and reflections.
Six Tips for Responding to Federal Priorities in Head Start
Last month, we presented a webinar, Responding to Federal Priorities, to provide practical ways to operationalize federal guidance and identify strategies to think proactively about program activities. The webinar focused on the primary priorities as identified in Secretary Kennedy’s May testimony about the President’s HHS FY 2026 Budget, as well as two recent IMs - ACF-OHS-IM-25-03 Promoting Healthy Eating and Nutrition for Head Start Children and Families (March 2025) and ACF-OHS-IM-25-04 Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families in Head Start Programs (April 2025). Those priorities included increasing parental choice; improving health, education, and employment outcomes; increasing program delivery efficiency; and promoting parental engagement. Thank you to all who joined!
Proactive Steps to Help Manage Budget Uncertainty in Head Start
This past month has led to feelings of uncertainty within the Head Start community, as many programs faced temporary funding freezes and were left unable to access funds. While we hope these scenarios do not continue to play out for Head Start providers, serving the most vulnerable children and families in communities, it’s difficult to predict what may come next.
Federal Budget Updates for Early Childhood Education Programs
There are many moving pieces to the federal budget. Understanding how funding is approved and when it becomes available can help programs prepare to respond to opportunities as they arise. In this blog post, we review the current status of federal funds related to early childhood education and what may be on the horizon for the upcoming federal fiscal year.