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Written by: Jacob Oates, Director of Programming & Impact, Groundwork Ohio Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the dads, grandfathers, and caregivers who are present from the start - helping children feel safe, supported, and loved from their very first days. Investing in young children and families has been the defining purpose of my career. From serving children and parents directly as an early childhood professional and administrator to advancing policy and advocacy through Groundwork Ohio, this work has always mattered deeply to me. But two months ago, when my wife and I welcomed our first child, that purpose took on new meaning. Today, I approach my work not only as an advocate, but as a father. The policies and systems I work to strengthen are no longer abstract—they shape the future my own child, and every child, deserves. For young children, those early years matter deeply. Strong relationships and stable environments help build the foundation for lifelong health, learning, and success. But being present for children is easier when families have access to the supports they need, including quality child care, health care, and economic stability. Too many Ohio families are navigating rising costs, limited access to care, and systems that make it harder to give their children the strong start they deserve. At Groundwork Ohio, we work every day to change that. We advocate for policies and investments that help families thrive during the most important years of a child's development. This Father’s Day, we invite you to honor the fathers and caregivers who have made a difference in your life by making a gift to Groundwork Ohio. Your support helps advance solutions that strengthen families, support parents and caregivers, and ensure more children have the opportunity to thrive from the very beginning.

As we celebrate Father’s Day and Responsible Fatherhood Month, Ohio has taken a significant step to strengthen support for fathers, children, and families across our state. The recently enacted state budget includes a $20 million investment in the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This investment expands Ohio's commitment to fatherhood programs and services, helping more fathers access the support they need to be actively involved in the lives of their children. The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood was established in 1999 and is unique in the nation. Ohio remains the only state with a statutory commission that is both funded and staffed at the state level and dedicated specifically to supporting fatherhood programs and promoting father inclusion in policies and services. Prior to this budget, the Commission operated with approximately $2.5 million in funding. The new investment will allow the Commission to significantly expand its reach across Ohio communities. More than $7 million will support a partnership with All Pro Dad, a national nonprofit organization that helps fathers engage with their children through school-based chapters and father-child activities. The initiative will expand opportunities for fathers to connect with their children and become more involved in their schools and communities. The remaining funding—more than $11.7 million—will be distributed through grants to more than 60 local programs serving communities across Ohio. These organizations provide a range of supports, including parenting education, employment assistance, mentoring, family engagement opportunities, and help navigating child support systems. The investment also supports Responsible Fatherhood Month activities throughout June. Counties across Ohio can access mini-grants of up to $3,500 to host father-child events that celebrate fatherhood and strengthen family connections. Research consistently shows that fathers play an important role in children's healthy development. Children benefit when fathers and father figures are engaged, present, and supported. Strong father involvement is associated with positive outcomes in areas including social-emotional development, educational success, and overall family well-being. When announcing the investment, Senate President Rob McColley said the funding is intended to "highlight the importance of having a father figure in a child's life and the importance of being a present father." Groundwork Ohio applauds Ohio's continued commitment to strengthening families by investing in fathers. Supporting fathers is not only good for dads—it is good for children, families, and communities. As we recognize Responsible Fatherhood Month, we celebrate the fathers, father figures, and caregivers who show up every day for Ohio's children. We also recognize the bipartisan leaders who made this historic investment possible and helped ensure that more fathers across Ohio have access to the resources and support they need to thrive. To learn more about the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood and programs available in your community, visit the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood and explore its 2025 Annual Report.

Written by: By Anna-Maria Teresa Temu, Family Action Network Member My husband Mikhail holds a PhD in biophysics. He published his research in the Journal of Clinical Investigation — one of the most competitive journals in medicine. His work focuses on rare hereditary cardiac arrhythmias in infants. He received a postdoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association. He is, by any measure, exactly the kind of scientist America recruits from around the world. I hold a master’s degree in political science with a specialization in African and Asian Studies from Lomonosov Moscow State University. I completed doctoral-level research in African history. I speak English, French, Russian, and Swahili. I’ve spent my career bridging cultures — working with immigrant and refugee communities, building cross-cultural strategy, and storytelling across languages and continents. We are also an ALICE family. ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — is often described as the working poor. But what that definition doesn’t fully capture is this: ALICE families can include people with advanced degrees, specialized skills, and deep professional contributions. People who immigrated legally, followed every rule, and still find themselves unable to save for a home, unable to afford child care, and unable to predict what next year looks like. I attended Groundwork Ohio’s Legislative Day last week because I believe our story belongs in this conversation. The Geography of Our Family I am Belarusian-Tanzanian. I spent most of my adult life in Moscow. Mikhail is Russian. We came to Columbus, Ohio in 2020 — during a pandemic, with all the complexity and hope that moment held. We have a young daughter, Ingrid, who is growing up American in ways we are still learning to read. Our family is, on paper, an immigration success story. In practice, we are navigating a system that wasn’t designed for people like us — highly skilled, legally present, and still economically precarious in ways most people don’t expect from families that look like ours on a résumé. When Bureaucracy Meets Motherhood As the spouse of an employee on a visa, my ability to work in the United States is contingent on my own work authorization — a separate, renewable document that does not automatically align with my husband's employment timeline. Right now, I am in one of those gaps. A status adjustment is in progress. And until it resolves, I cannot work. Not can't find work. Cannot legally work, even in volunteer roles that might be considered paid positions. Child care is not a calculation we can currently make. It is a non-starter. When you are a single-income household navigating active immigration paperwork, child care costs that exceed a monthly mortgage payment don't enter the budget as a line item. They disappear from consideration entirely. I’m writing this not to complain about America. It is an observation about a system gap that affects thousands of families in Ohio alone — families whose contributions are real, whose aspirations are genuine, and whose circumstances remain invisible in most policy conversations about early childhood. We are not a cautionary tale. We are a data point that the system hasn't yet learned to see. The Hidden Costs of Arriving There is a financial penalty for being new. Car insurance for newly arrived residents costs significantly more than it will three or four years later, regardless of driving history. Rental markets price newcomers into areas or arrangements that are often more expensive than what long-term residents pay. Credit histories don’t transfer internationally. We have wanted to buy a home. In Columbus’s market, we know that school district quality is tied to ZIP code, and ZIP code is tied to home prices. So we continue to rent — in a neighborhood with good schools, at a cost that makes saving for a down payment feel perpetually out of reach. This is not a failure of effort or intelligence. It is the compounding math of arriving without legacy wealth, without family nearby to help, and without the financial scaffolding that American-born families often inherit invisibly. I have thought often about my own childhood in Belarus, where the government provides robust family support during early childhood — including monthly allowances for all families with children under three, regardless of income, and heavily subsidized public kindergartens with nominal fees. I am not suggesting America become Belarus. But I do think it is worth asking: what would it mean for our youngest children if families — all families — had some form of meaningful support in those first years? When Life Sends Lemons: Dunia Dialogues There is a thing that happens when you cannot do the work you were trained for. You start doing other work. You build something from what you have. I founded Dunia Dialogues out of exactly that space. Dunia is the Swahili word for world — and the project reflects the breadth of my own story. Our signature community gathering, “Mamas Who Move the World,” brings together Black women across the African diaspora alongside Brown and Indigenous women to share stories about motherhood, migration, identity, and resilience. These are women who are also, in many cases, navigating ALICE-adjacent realities — educated, skilled, deeply contributing to their communities, and quietly stretched thin. My next gathering is anchored to Juneteenth & World Refugee Day in June — not because all of our participants are refugees, but because the spirit of that day honors people who have had to rebuild their lives in unfamiliar places. That is a story many of us know intimately, even when the word “refugee” doesn’t technically apply. What I Brought to Legislative Day My daughter and I came to Groundwork Ohio’s Legislative Day as people who understand early childhood policy from the inside out — not just professionally, but personally. I know what it means to make child care decisions based on legal status rather than preference. I know what it costs, in concrete dollars and in something harder to quantify, to raise a child in a country where you are still becoming. Ohio’s youngest children are not a monolith. They are growing up in immigrant households, in multilingual homes, in families where both parents have advanced degrees and still can’t make the math work. Policies that support early childhood need to reach those families too — families that may not fit the expected profile of who “needs help,” but who are navigating the same structural gaps as everyone else. We are here. We are contributing. We are asking for Ohio to see us. — Anna-Maria Teresa Temu is the Founder and Executive Director of Dunia Consulting LLC, a Columbus-based cross-cultural strategy consultancy, and the founding Board Chair of SkillHER Workforce Pathways. She serves as Education & Outreach Lead at Us Together and leads Dunia Dialogues, a community storytelling project centering immigrant and refugee women in Central Ohio. She lives in Columbus with her husband, daughter and two rescue dogs.

Groundwork Ohio, in partnership with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, has released a new resource, Business Innovation in Child Care: Case Studies Across Ohio, highlighting how businesses across the state are advancing child care solutions for their employees and communities. In the weeks ahead, we'll be spotlighting these efforts—sharing examples of initiatives taking place across Ohio. Hancock County Childcare Collaborative The Hancock County Childcare Collaborative was formed in 2024 after United Way of Hancock County and the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce conducted a survey of more than 600 families about their child care needs and frustrations. Fifty businesses also were contacted. Convened by the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, the Collaborative includes representatives from United Way of Hancock County, Blanchard Valley Health System, the City of Findlay, the Hancock County Commission, Hancock County Job and Family Services, and the Findlay Family YMCA. Teachers, child care providers, employers, government leaders, nonprofit organizations, and funders are also involved. Funding Child Care Support To support the Collaborative's work, the Foundation created two dedicated funds. The Foundation allotted $100,000 to provide child care support for families who earn too much to qualify for Publicly Funded Child Care assistance and who struggle to afford child care. In January 2026, the Collaborative was awarded a $224,566 Early Care & Education Business Partnerships grant to launch the Hancock County Tri-Share Program. The one-year initiative will be managed by the Findlay Family YMCA. Under the program, most employees will pay 40% of their child care costs, while employers and the grant will split the remaining 60%. The grant can support child care for 40 children, and the Foundation's child care fund will supplement the Tri-Share model. The Blanchard Valley Port Authority donated $50,000 to the effort, noting that access to child care is an economic development issue. Supporting Long-Term Solutions The Foundation's second fund of $50,000 supports the creation of long-term solutions to child care issues. Through the Hancock County Childcare Collaborative, community partners, employers, local government, nonprofit organizations, and funders are working together to support child care initiatives in Hancock County. This version contains only information directly stated in the case study you provided, aside from the standard introductory paragraph you wanted to keep.

Q. Tell us a little about your organization. Where are you located? Who do you serve and what do you focus on? A. We are located in Columbus, Ohio. We serve dads— new, expecting, and with children under the age of 18. Our focus is prenatal and maternal health to help increase infant vitality. Q. When was your organization founded, and what inspired your mission? A. Urban Family Development Center (UFDC) was established in 2015 by Founder & CEO David Fluellen. Urban Family Development Center is committed to providing tools and strategies to families in urban communities to aid in empowering them to overcome poverty. David holds the belief that “Family is Everything.” Community stabilization must start with stabilizing individual families. Urban Family Development Center works to make certain every family has access to the resources required to bring this to fruition. Q. What’s a recent project, program, or win that you're especially proud of? A. Although UFDC always celebrates fathers, in June we provide a huge father focused family engagement opportunity to celebrate all dads in the city. We collaborate with the African American Wellness Agency to create “Dads Matter Day,” held at Franklin Park in Columbus on June 6, 2026. This is the second year of celebrating dads with fishing, grilling and a car show. Q. What’s one issue you're keeping a close eye on right now? A. We are closely watching how fathers are included—or overlooked—in maternal health spaces. Too often, dads are not acknowledged in delivery rooms or at prenatal appointments. We’re focused on teaching fathers how to advocate for themselves, ask informed questions, and ensure their presence is recognized as an essential part of the family’s care team. Q. How do you partner with families and communities in your work? A. We partner closely with families and communities by working alongside trusted organizations such as OSU Moms2B, CelebrateOne, the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, Evolve in Youngstown, and several other local partners. Together, we provide education, support, and resources that strengthen maternal health and empower families across the communities we serve. Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio? A. We got involved with Groundwork Ohio by attending and participating in community events and speaking on the same panels. Q. What do you wish more people understood about the families you serve or the work you do? A. I wish more people understood that the fathers and families we serve are deeply committed to their children, but they often lack access and support. Our work isn’t about “fixing” families—it’s about removing barriers, restoring dignity, and creating opportunities for fathers to be present, confident, and connected. When fathers thrive, entire family systems stabilize and communities grow stronger. Q. How do you work with other organizations or community partners to create change? A. We create change by building intentional, mission‑aligned partnerships across health systems, schools, nonprofits, and public agencies. UFDC collaborates with hospitals on infant vitality, with workforce partners on employment pathways, and with community organizations to expand fatherhood engagement across Ohio. We don’t duplicate services, we braid them together, so families experience a seamless network of support. Collaboration is how we scale impact and ensure fathers are supported at every stage of their journey. Q. What keeps your team inspired or grounded in this work? A. Our team stays inspired by the fathers themselves, their resilience, their growth, and the way they show up for their children even when life is hard. Every success story, every healthy birth, every dad who gains confidence or secures a job reminds us why this work matters. We stay grounded by remembering that we are serving real families with real needs, and that our work has generational consequences. That responsibility fuels us every day. Q. Why is advocacy important to your work? A. Advocacy is essential because systems, not just individuals, help to shape family outcomes. We advocate to ensure fathers are seen, valued, and included in policies, programs, and funding decisions. Without advocacy, fathers remain invisible in spaces where their presence could transform outcomes for children and mothers. Advocacy allows us to elevate community voices, challenge inequities, and push for statewide change that supports healthy families and thriving communities. Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child? A. Ohio becomes the best place to be a young child when every family, especially those facing the greatest barriers, has access to stable housing, quality health care, economic mobility, and strong parental support. That includes recognizing fathers as essential partners in infant vitality and early childhood development. When we invest in parents, strengthen community networks, and build systems that honor the whole family, we create conditions where every child can grow, learn, and thrive.

Written By: Dominique Johnson, Policy Associate at Groundwork Ohio. Groundwork Ohio President & CEO Lynanne Gutierrez and Policy Associate Dominique Johnson traveled to Cincinnati on May 1 for a day of conversations with decision-makers, families, early learning leaders, and community partners. Across every discussion, one message remained clear: improving outcomes for young children requires systems and policies that are shaped by the realities families face every day. The visit reflected the many layers of Groundwork’s mission, connecting policy, practice, and family voice in meaningful ways. Lynanne and Dominique began the day by participating in a policy and advocacy panel hosted by the bi3 Fund alongside Ohio Representative Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Ohio Department of Children and Youth Director Kara B. Wente. The panel was moderated by Christie Kuhns, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio. The discussion focused on improving maternal and infant health outcomes in Ohio and highlighted the importance of centering family voices in the policymaking process. Panelists reflected on how lived experience can shape more responsive systems and policies at a time when too many Ohio families continue to face significant challenges during pregnancy, birth, and early childhood. Those themes became even more tangible in a conversation later that morning with three mothers from Groundwork Ohio’s Family Action Network, who shared their hopes for their children and the barriers they navigate every day while trying to provide strong early experiences and opportunities. Families spoke candidly about rising costs, the challenge of securing child care, particularly for children with disabilities, and the difficulty of balancing child care needs with unpredictable work schedules. The conversation served as a reminder that advocacy is built through relationships and lived experiences long before policy debates occur in committee rooms or legislative hearings. The challenges families described surfaced repeatedly throughout the day. During a visit to Learning Grove, a nonprofit early learning center serving families across the Cincinnati region, Executive Director and Groundwork Ohio Early Learning Advisory Council member Patti Gleason shared the realities many families face in accessing affordable, high-quality child care. The Groundwork team toured classrooms intentionally designed to create warm, welcoming spaces for children and families across the socioeconomic spectrum. They saw first hand the ways the center is designed to be accessible for families rather than feeling sterile or institutional. The classrooms centered comfort, safety, and connection, with cozy reading areas for parents and thoughtful touches that reflected each child’s individual needs. What we heard from families earlier in the day was reflected in the broader statewide child care landscape. Ohio is among the lowest in the nation for initial eligibility for publicly funded child care (PFCC). Even families who qualify for a child care subsidy often struggle to find an available placement or a program that meets their needs. While progress has been made in recent years, too many families still face barriers to accessing the care and early learning opportunities they need to best meet their child’s needs. Those conversations continued with Chara Fisher Jackson, Executive Director of Preschool Promise and a member of Groundwork Ohio’s Early Learning Advisory Council. This discussion centered on expanding access to high-quality preschools, improving kindergarten readiness, and the importance of ensuring families can realistically access early learning opportunities for their children during the most critical years of development, as well as the need for leaders at all levels of government to support policies and budget investments that prioritize children and families. The day concluded at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, where the Groundwork team met Candace Wang, Vice President for Education, to discuss funding strategies and the importance of long-term investment in community partnerships. Together, the team discussed the important role advocacy organizations play in sustaining this work over time. As state leadership and priorities shift over time with ever-evolving political environments, advocacy organizations help ensure that the needs of children remain at the center of decision-making, and that families do not lose visibility in policy conversations. Every conversation reaffirmed that improving outcomes for children is not the result of one system or one solution. It requires alignment across health care, early learning, policy, and community supports, and meaningful engagement with families. Policies and system solutions that are effective in meeting the real needs of families require we expand outside of the systems themselves and into communities, keeping families with young children at the center as the experts in their own experiences.

On June 8, 2026, Groundwork Ohio Senior Director of Policy Caitlin Feasby Feldman delivered interested party testimony on House Bill 795, sponsored by Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.), to the Ohio House Medicaid Committee, emphasizing the importance of protecting continuity of Medicaid coverage for young children, pregnant women, and families. Following advocacy from parents, families, caregivers, and disability advocates across Ohio, provisions affecting family caregiver services were removed from the bill. Groundwork Ohio's testimony focused on ensuring efforts to strengthen program integrity do not create unintended barriers to care or disrupt access to coverage for Ohio's youngest children and families. In Ohio, Medicaid covers half of all births and provides health coverage for nearly 400,000 children from birth through age five, making it an essential resource for healthy development, preventive care, and family well-being.

On Monday June 8, 2026, Groundwork Ohio Vice President Brittany Boulton delivered proponent testimony to the Ohio House Children and Human Services Committee in support of Senate Bill 218, sponsored by Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson). This legislation would recognize the existing certification process for Department of Defense family child care providers and remove unnecessary duplication in Ohio’s licensing requirements. By aligning state policy with rigorous federal oversight already in place, the bill helps reduce barriers for qualified providers, supports military families, and contributes to efforts to expand Ohio’s child care capacity while maintaining strong safety standards.

In this Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship spotlight, Groundwork Ohio highlights Emma Ginther, a Franklin County leader whose work is shaped by two decades as an early childhood educator and a deep commitment to children, families, and educators. Through her role with the Franklin County Board of Commissioners’ education team, she is helping advance countywide strategies rooted in community voice, equity, and access. Q. Tell us about yourself and your current professional role. What kind of work do you do, and who do you serve? A. Currently I am working at the Franklin County Board of Commissioners with the education team. In this position, I collaborate with a dedicated group to develop and implement county wide strategies that help to strengthen early learning opportunities. A key part of my work involves engaging directly with our community partners, child care providers, and families to understand their needs and experiences. By building these relationships, I help ensure that the strategies we create are not only data-driven but also grounded in the voices of the community. Our goal is to make early learning in Franklin County more equitable, accessible, and responsive to the children and families we serve. Q. What made you want to apply for the Early Childhood Leadership Fellowship? A. The fellowship opportunity was introduced to me by a former fellow in my office, who encouraged me to apply. I was immediately excited by the chance to deepen my understanding of policy and advocacy within the field of early learning. For me, the fellowship represents not only professional growth, but also an opportunity to strengthen my ability to influence systems, elevate community voices, and contribute to long-term change for children and families. Q. What are you most excited to learn, gain, or take away from the Fellowship experience? A. I am excited to deepen my understanding of early learning policy and advocacy, and to gain practical strategies for creating meaningful changes in Franklin County. I hope to learn from the experiences of fellow participants, expand my professional network, and bring back actionable ideas to support families and educators in Franklin County. Ultimately, I want to strengthen my ability to influence systemic change and help ensure that every child in Franklin County knows that their education is a birth right. Q. How did you first hear about or get involved with Groundwork Ohio? A. As an early childhood educator, a position I had for 20 years, I became aware of Groundwork Ohio’s advocacy efforts through my participation in the CEO Project’s Day Without Child Care. Q. What’s one issue or challenge in the early childhood system that you’re passionate about addressing? A. I am very passionate about worker wage increase in early education. Being forced to leave the field of teaching due to financial hardships and my changing family dynamic I find this issue hits very close to home. I taught for 20 years and never dreamed I would ever leave the classroom. In 2021 my husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis causing him to take disability retirement from the state of Ohio and leaving us in a financial slump. I found myself unable to keep my position and be the breadwinner for my family. I left teaching, it was a difficult decision, but I needed to support my family and unfortunately being an PreK teacher could not support us. Q. How does your lived experience shape the way you lead or advocate for young children and families? A. I was raised as a birth child in a foster home, where my family opened its doors to more than 50 children over the course of 20 years. Growing up in that environment gave me a unique perspective and shaped much of who I am today. From an extremely young age, I witnessed the realities of addiction, poverty, and the inequities that exist within the social service system. These early experiences taught me deep lessons about resilience, compassion, and the importance of advocacy for children and families navigating difficult circumstances. Q. What do you think is important to help make Ohio the best place to be a young child? A. There are three key aspects that I believe would significantly improve the lives of children and families in Ohio. First, every child should have access to high quality early education, ensuring that they are prepared to thrive in school academically, socially, and emotionally. Second, the financial burden of child care should be shared more equitably, with no family spending more than 7% of their income on care. Finally, our educators, who play such a critical role in shaping young children’s futures, must receive fair, livable compensation that reflects both their expertise and the value of their work. Together, these priorities would strengthen families, support the workforce, and create a brighter future for Ohio’s youngest learners. Q. How do you hope to use your voice as a leader in this space—now and in the future? A. I hope to use my voice as a leader in early childhood education to bridge my lived experience as a classroom teacher with my current role shaping countywide early learning strategies. When I was in the classroom, I saw firsthand how policy decisions directly impacted children, families, and educators. That perspective continues to ground me. I know the voices of educators and families need to be at the table, and I want to help carry those voices forward in spaces where decisions are made. My hope is that my leadership voice remains rooted in authenticity and reflection: a reminder that policy is not abstract, but deeply personal, shaping the lives of children, families, and the educators who nurture them every day.

June 4, 2026 – Columbus, OH – Groundwork Ohio is proud to announce the 2027 cohort of its Early Childhood Fellowship, welcoming 20 emerging and established leaders from nine Ohio counties who are committed to improving outcomes for young children and families across the state. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, the Fellows bring expertise and lived experience from early education, healthcare, mental health, child welfare, family engagement, faith-based leadership, and community advocacy. Over the next year, they will deepen their knowledge of early childhood policy, strengthen their leadership skills, and build a statewide network of advocates working to ensure every Ohio child has the opportunity to thrive. “Ohio’s youngest children need champions in every community,” said Lynanne Gutierrez, President & CEO of Groundwork Ohio. “These Fellows bring both professional expertise and lived experience to the work of improving systems for children and families. We are excited to invest in their leadership and support them as they help shape policies and solutions that make Ohio the best place to be a young child.” Since its launch, Groundwork Ohio’s Early Childhood Fellowship has helped cultivate a growing network of advocates and leaders who are elevating the voices of children and families, informing public policy, and strengthening local systems across Ohio. Groundwork Ohio 2027 Early Childhood Fellows: Abigail Alexander, SPARK Coordinator | Action for Children Adlynn Anaya, Advocacy Coordinator | Imagine Cincinnati Tionna Barksdale, Lead Teacher | Kiddie Academy – Worthington Nicole Bell, Toddler Teacher | Hathaway Brown School Elisabeth Cumberland, Owner/Administrator | Playtime Preschool LLC Vikki Cumberlander, Assistant Principal | KIPP Columbus High School Shaffawn Fields, Foster Care Specialist | Starting Point Jennifer Fisher, Pastor/Nonprofit leader | Imagine Cincinnati Carmen Fryman, Preschool Administrator | Atonement Lutheran Preschool Mary Grisez, Help Me Grow Home Visitor | Stark County ESC Qorsho Hassan, KRC Program Manager | Future Ready Five Rachel Herring, Regional Resource Coordinator | Starting Point Julie Klear, Co-Founder & Creative Director | Zid Zid Kids Sara Krugman, Family Engagement Coordinator | Action for Children Kaylee Louis, Provider Services Coordinator | COAD Jessica Maddox, Lead Teacher/District Autism Specialist Team | Adams County/Ohio Valley Schools Miken Oliver, Owner/Executive Director | Nourish Early Learning Kimberly Rosa, Parent and Youth Ambassador | Starting Point Christie Stemplinski, Early Childhood Education Program Specialist | Starting Point Helaine Wilson, Administrator Throughout the year, Fellows will participate in leadership development, policy education, advocacy training, and peer learning opportunities. They will engage directly with policymakers, collaborate on projects addressing real-world challenges facing young children and families, and develop the skills needed to drive meaningful change in their communities and across Ohio. To learn more about the Early Childhood Fellowship, visit: www.groundworkohio.org/fellowship About Groundwork Ohio Groundwork Ohio is a nonpartisan public-policy research and advocacy organization that champions high-quality early learning and healthy development strategies from the prenatal period to age 5, that lay a strong foundation for Ohio kids, families, and communities. We advance quality early childhood systems in Ohio by engaging, educating, and mobilizing diverse stakeholders and strategic partners to promote data driven and evidence-based early childhood policies. Learn more at groundworkohio.org.

Written by: Mary Jane Sanese, Communications Associate at Groundwork Ohio Last week, Groundwork Ohio traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in the inaugural First Five Federal-State Partnership Summit hosted by First Five Years Fund and First Five Action. President & CEO Lynanne Gutierrez, Managing Director of Communications Sara Loken, and I joined approximately 30 advocates representing 15 organizations from across the country for two days focused on strengthening federal advocacy to advance bipartisan child care and early learning policies at the federal level. The first day of the summit focused on preparing advocates for meetings on Capitol Hill through workshops and strategy sessions centered on federal child care and early learning priorities. Attendees also heard from Alex J. Adams, Assistant Secretary for Family Support leading the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about the importance of supporting children and families through federal policy and partnership. The day concluded with the “Child Care Makes It Work” reception on Capitol Hill, which brought together lawmakers, congressional staff, advocates, stakeholders, and partners from across the country. The event featured remarks from Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), as well as recorded remarks from Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) — all co-sponsors of the bipartisan Child Care Modernization Act — illustrating the growing bipartisan momentum behind strengthening child care and early learning investments for families nationwide. On the second day, we headed back to Capitol Hill to meet directly with congressional offices and discuss federal investments that support young children, working families, and local economies. Groundwork Ohio met with 10 Ohio congressional offices to advocate for continued and expanded investments in child care and early learning programs as Congress begins work on Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations. Supporting Federal Investments That Strengthen Ohio Families Throughout our meetings with Ohio’s congressional offices, Groundwork Ohio emphasized that child care and early learning are not only critical for children and families, but also for Ohio’s workforce and economy. We shared findings from Groundwork Ohio’s recent Ohio Voter Poll, released in partnership with First Five Years Fund and UpOne Insights, which found that nearly 80% of Ohio voters — and voters across the nation — say the ability of working parents to find and afford quality child care is either in a “state of crisis” or is a “major problem.” We also discussed how access to affordable child care directly impacts workforce participation, family stability, and economic growth across Ohio. Groundwork Ohio also highlighted findings from Untapped Potential, released in partnership with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which found that child care challenges result in an estimated $5.48 billion annual loss to Ohio’s economy each year due to impacts on employers, working parents, and workforce productivity. In addition, we shared Groundwork Ohio’s recently released resource, Business Innovation in Child Care: Case Studies Across Ohio, developed in partnership with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. The resource highlights how businesses, communities, and local partners across Ohio are advancing innovative child care and workforce solutions to better support working families and strengthen local economies. These conversations are especially urgent for Ohio. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth has projected Ohio is going to face an estimated $375 million annual child care funding deficit beginning in July 2028, putting access to care at risk for thousands of families across the state. Today, more than 100,000 Ohio children benefit from publicly funded child care, and this funding deficit could put approximately 30,000 children at risk of losing access to child care assistance. During our meetings, Groundwork Ohio emphasized why protecting and strengthening federal early learning and child care funding through FY27 appropriations is critical for Ohio’s families, workforce, and economy — and why cuts to these programs would have serious consequences for children and working families across Ohio. Below are some of the key federal early learning and child care programs Groundwork Ohio advocated for during our meetings on Capitol Hill: Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the largest source of federal funding dedicated to child care. CCDBG helps low-income working families afford child care while giving states flexibility to support providers and communities based on local needs. Early Head Start and Head Start Early Head Start and Head Start provide comprehensive early learning, nutrition, health, and family support services for eligible children and families. These programs play a critical role in promoting school readiness and supporting children during their earliest years of development. Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program helps states strengthen, align, and expand early learning systems to better support children and families. Together, these federal programs form the foundation of early learning and child care systems across the country and are essential to supporting working families, early educators, and young children. Advocating for the Child Care Modernization Act In addition to FY27 appropriations, Groundwork Ohio also advocated for support of the bipartisan Child Care Modernization Act. The legislation would strengthen and modernize the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), helping states better meet the growing child care needs of families, providers, and employers. The Child Care Modernization Act would: Give parents more child care options through new supply and facilities grants Support child care professionals through more accurate reimbursement rates Provide additional technical assistance to in-home and rural child care providers Continue supporting a mixed-delivery system that includes child care centers, home-based providers, and faith-based programs During our meetings, we encouraged Ohio’s congressional delegation to support and co-sponsor this important bipartisan legislation. Continuing the Conversation in Ohio Groundwork Ohio invited members of Ohio’s congressional delegation to participate in our upcoming 2026 Groundwork Ohio Roadshow Tour as we travel the state listening to families, providers, business leaders, and communities about the challenges and opportunities facing Ohio’s youngest children. Our time in Washington, D.C. reinforced the importance of partnership and collaboration in advancing policies that support children and families. Child care and early learning are essential to Ohio’s workforce, economy, and future, and Groundwork Ohio remains committed to ensuring Ohio’s youngest children and their families remain part of the conversation at both the state and federal levels. The First Five Federal-State Partnership Summit brought together advocates from across the country around a shared goal: ensuring more children and families have access to affordable, high-quality early learning and care. We were proud to bring Ohio’s voice to those conversations. Take Action for Ohio’s Youngest Children As Congress continues negotiations around Fiscal Year 2027 funding, now is the time to speak up for Ohio’s children and families. Federal investments in child care and early learning help parents stay in the workforce, support local economies, and ensure young children have access to safe, quality care during the most important years of development. Join us in urging Congress to protect and strengthen these critical programs by taking action through Groundwork Ohio’s advocacy alert.

By Dr. Jasmine Moses, Policy Manager at Black Child Development Institute - Ohio Follow Black Child Development Institute - Ohio on LinkedIn At BCDI-Ohio, our work is centered on advancing the well-being of children and families across Ohio. We do that by listening to communities, building relationships, and creating opportunities for families to help shape the conversations that impact their lives. Through listening sessions, community conversations, advocacy, and coalition building, we are continually prioritizing learning from the people who know their communities best. June often brings conversations about fatherhood and the important role fathers play in children's lives. While those celebrations matter, we also see this as an opportunity to listen and to reflect. What are fathers experiencing? What supports are helping them thrive? What challenges are they facing? And what can we learn from their experiences? One thing we know is that fathers' voices are often missing from conversations about children and families. Fathers, father figures, male caregivers, and co-parents play an important role in the lives of children. They are helping children learn, grow, and navigate the world every day. Yet too often, we make assumptions about their experiences instead of creating opportunities to hear directly from them. That is why we have launched a statewide Fatherhood Survey. We want to hear from fathers and father figures from every corner of Ohio. Whether you live in a rural community, a small town, a suburb, or a large city, your experiences matter. Whether you are raising an infant, a teenager, or somewhere in between, your perspective is important. The survey asks fathers, father figures, male caregivers, and co-parents to share their experiences, reflect on what is helping their families thrive, and identify the challenges they continue to face. For us, this is about more than collecting data. It is about creating space for fathers to share their stories, experiences, and ideas. We know that families are not all the same, and neither are fathers. The more voices we hear, the better we can understand the diverse experiences of families across our state. The survey is available in both English and Spanish, and we encourage fathers and father figures from all backgrounds and communities to participate. We also need your help spreading the word. If you are part of a community organization, school, child care program, faith community, health care organization, or other network that serves families, we hope you will share the survey with the fathers and father figures in your community. Every voice adds to our understanding. Every story helps paint a fuller picture of what families are navigating. And every response helps ensure that fathers are part of conversations about the well-being of children and families across Ohio. Each network leads to every voice that matters. We look forward to learning from fathers throughout the state and are grateful to everyone who takes the time to participate and share.