WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers have a strong and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization highlighted that the administration’s financial blueprint includes essential, much-needed funding for programs designed to build a solid foundation for young children and families across the United States.
According to leadership at ZERO TO THREE, the federal spending plan takes critical steps toward addressing the holistic needs of America’s youngest population. The organization has long advocated for robust federal investments that prioritize the well-being of infants and toddlers during the most rapid period of human brain development.
"If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer place to have and raise a baby," said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE.
Calderón noted that the organization has consistently urged Congress and the administration to place the needs of babies and their families at the forefront of national policy discussions. Specifically, ZERO TO THREE has focused its advocacy around five key areas: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security.
The latest budgetary proposals build directly upon themes articulated during the recent State of the Union address, where the President outlined a broader vision for a future in which families are empowered and have meaningful choices regarding their children’s futures. The fiscal year 2025 budget translates these broad policy goals into concrete funding measures aimed at supporting all facets of early childhood development.
The proposed investments target multiple vulnerabilities that impact families during the critical prenatal-to-three period. By addressing systemic challenges in maternal health, the budget seeks to curb the nation’s ongoing maternal mortality crisis, which disproportionately affects women of color and heavily influences infant well-being. Furthermore, the inclusion of resources for infant and early childhood mental health recognizes that emotional and psychological well-being begins in infancy and requires specialized interventions and caregiver support.
Child care accessibility and affordability—a persistent crisis for working families nationwide—also feature prominently in the administration’s fiscal plans. Advocates argue that stabilizing the child care sector is vital not only for parental employment and economic productivity, but also for ensuring that infants and toddlers experience safe, nurturing, and high-quality early learning environments during their formative years.
Additionally, the budget proposals touch upon economic security and housing stability, acknowledging the fundamental truth that a child cannot thrive when their family is experiencing homelessness, housing precarity, or deep poverty. Financial stability and secure housing directly mitigate toxic stress in infants, creating a safer home environment where early childhood development can flourish.
As the federal budget moves from the executive branch to Capitol Hill, ZERO TO THREE is shifting its focus toward legislative advocacy. The organization is calling on lawmakers in both parties to recognize the long-term economic and social benefits of investing in early childhood infrastructure.
"Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies," Calderón emphasized. "We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality."
The path forward will require bipartisan cooperation as lawmakers negotiate the details of the federal spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year. For advocates of early childhood development, the President’s budget serves as an important benchmark and a statement of national priorities that places the youngest Americans at the center of the legislative agenda.
