Partnership for Children seeks nearly $800,000 from county to expand early childhood access; commissioners ask for sustainability plan

The Chatham County Partnership for Children asked commissioners on Monday for $799,002 to begin implementing the early childhood action plan adopted in 2023, proposing a mix of direct services, compensation pilots for educators, provider supports and family-centered programs.

Daryl Butts, county staff presenting the request, said the Partnership's April submission totaled $799,002: $600,000 for direct services and approximately $199,002 for programmatic and administrative costs. Butts and Partnership representatives said the request largely maps to the action plan's top-priority items and to the fiscal analysis the Partnership produced after a county-funded needs assessment.

What the request would fund: Partnership staff described four priority program areas underpinning the request: increasing high-quality early learning and NC Pre-K slots with wraparound services (transportation and after-school care); piloting wage supplements and a tiered salary scale to improve educator compensation and retention; supporting child care providers with grants, technical assistance and incentives for taking subsidy-eligible children; and strengthening family supports (a family resource hub, health screenings and parent engagement workshops). The Partnership proposed sustainability strategies for each line, including pursuing increased state NC Pre-K funding, philanthropic partnerships, and local recurring support.

Commissioners' concerns and staff follow-up: Commissioners praised the strategy but repeatedly pressed for long-term funding plans. Commissioner Kate Robertson, who said she had worked in early childhood education for two decades, called the request "a big ask" but urged action and asked staff to work on multi-year funding options. County staff noted the request was not included in the FY26 budget and that a board-authorized budget amendment would be needed to fund it. The county manager's office and Partnership were asked to draft a contract with deliverables and metrics if the board desired to move forward.

Legal and procurement notes: Butts said parts of the request could encounter limits because many providers are privately owned: county funds generally cannot be used to pay for private capital improvements at for-profit facilities. Butts said the county and Partnership had discussed using North Carolina General Statute 160D-1311 (authorizing assistance programs for low- and moderate-income residents) as a compliance pathway where appropriate, with additional documentation requirements. He also noted some proposals would be recurring costs for which one-time ARPA funds would not be sustainable.

Funding source and timing: The county's available ARPA-enabled balance was discussed: staff reported an estimated $697,000 of ARPA-enabled funds remaining, an estimate that depends on current program trends and contract obligations. Butts said the Partnership's requested funds would be prorated if awarded mid-year; the Partnership and staff discussed possibly beginning a contract with a partial-year budget if the board directed staff to negotiate a contract for fall implementation. Butts recommended that, if the board opted to proceed, staff should be authorized to work with Partnership to prepare a contract for future board approval and that deliverables and sustainability expectations be written into that agreement.

Board action and next steps: Commissioners signaled general support for further negotiation. Several commissioners asked staff to work with Partnership to craft a contract and to return with the agreement, budget amendment needs and sustainability options. The board did not immediately appropriate the full request on Monday; instead the board directed staff to negotiate contract language and to return to the board for any appropriation and final approval.

Clarifying details: The Partnership described the living-wage target for early educators as about $15–$55/hour depending on calculation and credentialing; the presentation suggested a living-wage-aligned pilot but relied on TEACH scholarships and other state resources as part of sustainability. The fiscal analysis that informed the request prioritized items as "priority 1" (shorter-term/high-impact) through long-term items; the Partnership focused the board request on the priority-1 components with refinements. Butts said $50,000 of one proposed provider infrastructure line (facility improvement grants) would not be permissible for county funds if those grants went to private for-profit facilities and would have to be funded by other sources.