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5.01.2026

Why Nevada’s Budget Matters for Our Youngest Kids

For families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers, the earliest years are filled with firsts: first steps, first words, first friendships and first days of learning. 

These years also lay the foundation for a child’s lifelong health, learning and success.

In Nevada, we know the first five years matter—and our state has made important progress investing in programs like child care assistance, preschool, early intervention, home visiting and family supports. 

But we also know that too many families still can’t access the programs they need, and that current funding falls short of the true cost of supporting young children and their caregivers.

Understanding how Nevada’s state budget works—and why new, sustainable revenue is needed—helps explain why early childhood advocacy is so important right now.

A Simple Explainer: How Nevada’s Budget Works

Nevada’s state budget is a two-year (biennial) budget passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor. It pays for essential services that support families and communities, including K–12 education, higher education, health care, human services, public safety and infrastructure.

Unlike many states, Nevada does not have a personal income tax. Instead, the state relies heavily on:

• Sales and use taxes
• Gaming and tourism-related taxes
• Business taxes, such as the Modified Business Tax and Commerce Tax
• Federal funds, especially for health and early childhood programs

This structure means Nevada’s budget is highly sensitive to economic swings. When tourism slows or consumer spending drops, state revenues decline—often at the same time families need more support.

Early childhood programs are especially vulnerable in this kind of system because they:

• Depend on a mix of state, federal and temporary funding sources
• Often require long-term, predictable investment to be effective
• Serve children during a once-in-a-lifetime developmental window

The Reality: Demand for Early Childhood Services Outpaces Funding

Nevada’s early childhood system has been carefully studied through statewide fiscal mapping and gap analyses. These efforts show what families experience every day: the cost of providing high-quality services far exceeds current funding levels.

As a result:

• Thousands of eligible families cannot access child care assistance
• Early learning and preschool opportunities remain limited and patchwork
• Providers struggle to recruit and retain qualified staff
• Families face rising out-of-pocket child care costs—often rivaling rent or mortgage payments

While federal COVID-era relief funds helped stabilize the system temporarily, many of those dollars have expired or are ending, leaving states like Nevada with a growing funding gap.

Why New Revenue Sources Are Part of the Solution

Nevada’s leaders are faced with a clear reality:

You can’t sustainably expand and strengthen early childhood programs without dedicated, reliable revenue.

New revenue does not automatically mean higher costs for working families. 

Policymakers have tools to:

• Focus revenue options on those with the greatest ability to pay
• Modernize outdated tax structures
• Close loopholes or rebalance existing systems
• Explore voter-approved solutions that reflect public priorities

Across the political spectrum, there is growing agreement that investing early saves money later—by reducing costs in remedial education, health care, and the justice system, while strengthening the workforce and economy.

Nevadans Agree: Early Childhood Is Worth the Investment

Polling consistently shows that Nevada voters—across party lines—support increased public investment in early childhood programs, even when it involves public dollars.

A 2023 bipartisan poll of Nevada voters conducted by Public Opinion Strategies found:

• 90% believe it is important for working parents to be able to find and afford quality child care
• 78% say increasing funding for child care and early childhood programs is an important priority and a good use of tax dollars—even after concerns about the federal deficit are acknowledged
• Support crosses party lines, including 70% of Republicans, 75% of Independents, and 88% of Democrats [ffyf.org]

More recent national polling that included Nevada voters reinforces this support:

• 85% of voters support increasing public funding to expand child care programs
• 89% want candidates to have real plans to help families afford child care
• Majorities connect child care access to a strong economy [first5nevada.org]

Additional polling reported by The Nevada Independent shows bipartisan majorities of Nevadans support expanding universal preschool, child care subsidies, and tax credits to help families manage rising costs. [thenevadai...endent.com]

The message is clear: Voters understand that early childhood programs benefit not only families, but communities and the economy as a whole.

Bipartisan Values, Shared Goals

Support for early childhood investment is not a partisan issue. It reflects shared values:

• Supporting working families
• Preparing children for success in school and life
• Strengthening Nevada’s workforce
• Using taxpayer dollars wisely and effectively

When families can access affordable child care and early learning:

• Parents can work or pursue education
• Employers have a more stable workforce
• Children arrive at kindergarten ready to learn
• Communities grow stronger and more resilient

Early childhood investments deliver one of the highest returns on investment of any public spending, making them a fiscally responsible and future-focused choice.

What Families Can Do

Families are powerful voices in shaping Nevada’s future. 

You can:

• Learn about how the state budget affects early childhood services
• Share your story with policymakers about what child care and early supports mean to your family
• Stay informed through trusted sources like First 5 Nevada
• Support efforts that call for sustainable, dedicated funding for young children

Nevada’s children only get one chance at a strong start. By aligning our budget priorities with what families know—and voters support—we can build an early childhood system that truly works for everyone.