From Advocacy to Impact: How We Turned Our Collective Voice Into Historic Change
Child Care for CT Releases Its 2026 Annual Impact Report
When families, child care providers, educators, employers, and community members come together, real change is possible.
This past year, thousands of people across Connecticut showed what it means to turn advocacy into action. They shared their stories, spoke with lawmakers, attended rallies,
submitted testimony, and organized in their communities. Together, they helped move Connecticut closer to a future where every family can access affordable, high-quality child care and every provider has the support they need to thrive.
Today, Child Care for CT is proud to share our 2026 Annual Impact Report, From Advocacy to Impact.
The report tells the story of a year defined by people power, growing partnerships, and historic progress for Connecticut's child care system.
A Year of Showing Up
Throughout the 2026 fiscal year, our movement grew stronger because people across Connecticut chose to get involved.
From the State Capitol to local communities, parents, providers, and advocates made sure child care remained a priority for policymakers.
Together, our movement achieved:
600 advocates participating in Lobby Days organized by Child Care for CT and our partners, including the Alliance of YMCAs and the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance.
129 supporters testifying to make their voices heard.
1,180 participants across 19 events.
555 volunteer hours dedicated to advancing child care.
More than 150 advocacy partnerships strengthening our statewide coalition.
Our network also reached 72,539 people, helping more Connecticut residents connect with the movement for affordable, accessible, high-quality child care.
These numbers tell an important story. But behind every number is a person who took action because they believed Connecticut could do better.
Turning Advocacy Into Historic Investment
One of the year's most important milestones was Connecticut's continued investment in the Early Childhood Education Endowment.
At the close of fiscal year 2026, the state directed an additional $411.7 million to the Endowment, bringing its total value to more than $700 million.
This investment marked a major step toward building a child care system that works better for families, providers, and communities.
The Endowment is designed to make child care more affordable, expand access, and strengthen the early childhood workforce.
Beginning in July 2027, eligible families enrolled in Endowment-funded child care programs are expected to benefit from new affordability measures. Under Connecticut law, families with annual household incomes below $100,000 will pay nothing for care in these programs, while families earning $100,000 or more will have their contributions capped at 7% of household income.
The Endowment will also support the creation of additional child care spaces, improvements to program quality, and investments in the educators and providers who make high-quality care possible.
These changes will take time to implement, and our coalition will continue advocating to ensure the investments deliver meaningful results for Connecticut families and providers.
Our coalition helped sustain public support for these investments, even as Connecticut faced difficult budget decisions. Families, providers, and advocates continued speaking up about why child care matters, and why long-term public funding is essential.
Building a Movement That Includes Everyone
Our impact extends beyond legislative victories.
Throughout the year, Child Care for CT worked to make sure the people most affected by child care policy had a stronger voice in shaping it.
We created a parent-centered Advisory Committee and a dedicated Father's Group to bring more caregivers into advocacy and leadership.
We worked to increase provider representation in decisions about the Endowment and the state's child care systems.
We partnered with employers to launch a statewide parent survey to better understand the child care needs of working families.
And we continued building relationships with organizations and community leaders who share our vision for a stronger Connecticut.
Because lasting change takes more than a single law or budget decision. It takes a movement that keeps growing, organizing, and holding decision-makers accountable.
This Isn't the Finish Line. It's the Foundation.
Connecticut has made historic progress, but too many families still struggle to find and afford care. Too many providers face financial challenges, and too many early educators lack the pay and benefits they deserve.
The investments made in 2026 create an opportunity to change that.
Our next chapter is about making sure those commitments become real improvements in people's lives.
That means protecting the Early Childhood Education Endowment, ensuring it is implemented as intended, bringing more families and providers into the conversation, and continuing to advocate for a child care system that works for everyone.
Our 2026 Annual Impact Report is more than a record of what happened this year. It's a reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together.
This progress belongs to all of us. And together, we're just getting started.
