Funding
Smart start is required to raise $1 for every $10 it recieves from the state. More than $319 million in donations has been invested in Smart Start since 1994.
Funding History
In 1993-94, the NC General Assembly provided $20 million to establish the first 12 Smart Start partnerships. The first 12 included the counties: Halifax, Hertford, Jones, Cumberland, Davidson, Stanly, Mecklenburg, Cleveland, Burke, Caldwell, Orange and the Region A partnership counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Clay, Cherokee, Graham and Swain.
The success of the first partnerships led to the five year expansion of the initiative. In 1998, Smart Start services were available statewide. Several states have developed initiatives similar to the Smart Start model. All states are at different levels of development and funding. Those states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington State and Wyoming.
Funding needs
While Smart Start has made tremendous progress in improving children's readiness for school, more resources are needed to reach all children who could benefit from Smart Start services. An estimated 200,000 children are left behind each year due to lack of funding for early development services. Fully funding Smart Start would take $400 million.
Financial, Program Accountability: Smart Start's Top Priority
Smart Start partnerships are required to spend 70 percent of all funds to improve the quality of child care and 30 percent (included in the 70 percent) is required to make child care affordable to working families. The remaining 30 percent may be used for these services and for children's health and family support services. Smart Start administration is limited to 8 percent. The pie chart below shows Smart Start expenditures for services
