The Nuts and Bolts of Building Early Childhood Systems through State/Local Initiatives
This paper, an update of a 2014 version, highlights the significant benefits of developing a statewide community-level infrastructure as a core component of a statewide early childhood system. It provides an overview of the key lessons BUILD team members and systems-building partners have learned over the years.
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Head Start Under Threat: What the Field is Saying
Research October 2, 2026
Over the past few months, HHS has advanced two related sets of proposed changes to Head Start. National, state, and local partners across the early childhood field have raised serious concerns about both. This document is a summary of what our partners are saying, followed by concrete actions and resources for you and your organization. The content reflects our partners' own statements and comments — we agree with what they've said and are sharing it here with full source attribution. Updated October 2, 2026.
A Guide for PDG B-5 Grant Funding
Planning Tool September 28, 2026
States applying for the 2026 PDG B-5 SMART Grant can use this guide to find vetted, mostly federal resources to build their application. HHS-2026-ACF-ECD-TP-0039 | Compiled by BUILD Initiative
Systems in Sync: What Seven States Learned About Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness
Blog September 24, 2026
Teams from seven states spent six months exploring how systems can work together to support infants, toddlers, and parents experiencing homelessness.