WASHINGTON, DC — ZERO TO THREE, the nation’s leading early childhood development nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that all infants and toddlers receive a strong and healthy start in life, has expressed strong encouragement regarding President Biden’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget. The organization noted that the federal spending plan 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 the advocacy organization, the new budget proposal represents a critical step forward in addressing the foundational needs of the country’s youngest population. By targeting key structural areas of early childhood development, the administration’s plan aims to alleviate systemic pressures facing modern American households.
“If implemented, President Biden’s budget released today will make our nation a better and fairer nation to have and raise a baby,” said Miriam Calderón, Chief Policy Officer at ZERO TO THREE.
Calderón emphasized that the organization has consistently urged Congress and the administration to prioritize the unique needs of babies and their families across five critical pillars: maternal health, infant and early childhood mental health, child care, housing, and economic security. These five areas form the core framework of the organization’s ongoing national advocacy and research initiatives, including its signature data and reporting projects tracking the well-being of infants nationwide.
“In last week’s State of the Union address, the President laid out a path toward a future where families are empowered and have choices about their baby’s future,” Calderón continued. “This proposed budget expands on this vision with proposals that address all facets of young children’s development.”
The President’s budget puts forward targeted federal investments explicitly designed to support babies and strengthen families during their most critical developmental windows. The comprehensive package reflects a coordinated federal approach to early childhood policy, bringing together multiple agencies and funding streams to address the interconnected challenges facing parents and caregivers.
Child development experts and advocates have long pointed out that the earliest years of a child’s life represent a period of rapid brain development, setting the trajectory for lifelong health, emotional regulation, and academic success. Proponents of the fiscal year 2025 budget argue that investing in this window yields long-term social and economic returns by reducing future healthcare costs, closing achievement gaps, and enabling parents—particularly mothers—to remain in or re-enter the workforce with reliable support systems.
The release of the budget marks the beginning of the annual federal appropriations process, shifting the immediate focus to Capitol Hill. While the executive branch sets the initial spending blueprint, the final allocation of funds requires legislative action and bipartisan collaboration among lawmakers.
“Now, Congress must work with the Administration to deliver for families and babies,” Calderón added, outlining the road ahead for federal policy. “We look forward to working with Congressional appropriators and our baby champions on the Hill to make these bold proposals a reality.”
As the legislative debate unfolds in the coming months, early childhood advocates, policy experts, and community leaders plan to engage lawmakers to underscore the tangible impacts these proposed investments will have on local communities, healthcare systems, and childcare infrastructure across the country.
