Invest Early NC Released 10-Year Advocacy Plan
The collaborative unveiled a long-term strategy to bolster North Carolina family resources and early childhood support systems.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Child Care
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Invest Early NC has launched a 10-year advocacy plan aimed at improving family economic stability and early learning across North Carolina. The initiative seeks to address the state's ranking as 51st in the nation for available family resources.
Why it matters
Systemic improvements to early childhood development require a sustained, multi-year approach to adapt to changing political landscapes and evidence. This plan provides a structured framework for 19 member funders to advocate for policies like paid family leave and tax credits.
North Carolina currently ranks 51st out of 51 jurisdictions in family resources, with annual support totaling $19,000 per working family. The new advocacy collaborative is backed by a coalition of 19 member funders.
The players
Invest Early NC
This collaborative of 19 member funders focuses on advancing early childhood advocacy and policy change in North Carolina.
Amber Payne
She has served as the project director for the Invest Early NC initiative since 2019.
Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center
This research organization evaluates state policies and generates national rankings regarding resources for families and young children.
The details
The plan centers on three core pillars: family economic stability, caregiver-child relationships, and early learning. It aims to secure systemic changes through a combination of narrative shifts, strategic communication, and local leadership engagement.
Timeline
Amber Payne has served as project director since 2019.
Invest Early NC began stakeholder outreach in 2024.
North Carolina received a 51st-place ranking in 2026.
The 10-year plan was officially announced the week of Oct 14, 2026.
A partner convening is scheduled for Oct 23, 2026.
Culture Shift
This plan reflects a broader societal movement toward professionalizing and financing early childhood care as a foundational economic necessity. It follows the precedent of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center annual state rankings, which recently identified the state's significant lag in family-focused resources.
Residents may see a push for new policies including refundable tax credits and paid family leave that could alter household budgets. The initiative's success in securing these benefits could eventually change the availability and affordability of local child care services.
The takeaway
Long-term advocacy plans rely on consistent stakeholder engagement to turn systemic goals into reality. Families can follow the collaborative's upcoming meetings to understand how proposed policy changes might influence their future financial resources.
What happens next
Invest Early NC will hold a partner convening on Oct 23, 2026, at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center in Raleigh.
Further reading
For more information on local initiatives, visit the Child Care section.
More information
View the Invest Early NC 10-year plan website to learn about current advocacy strategies.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EdNC.
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