1 of 8

Fiscal Year 2027

Advocacy Toolkit

​

February - May 2026

Learn how to support early childhood

budget asks in Illinois for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27)!

2 of 8

Table of Contents

1. Intro to We, the Village

2

2. What are the FY27 budget asks?

​

3. Why is increased funding important?

​

4. Call to Action

5. Action Steps

​

6. Tag your elected officials on social media

Haga clic aquí para acceder a este conjunto de herramientas en español.

Click here to access this toolkit in Spanish.

3 of 8

Through public information dissemination, communications-based engagement, and legislative and administrative advocacy, the We the Village coalition supports early childhood programs, providers and families in Illinois.

​

Launched in 2019, our vision is to make Illinois a state where ALL families and early childhood communities can thrive. We work to ensure all early childhood communities in Illinois have the resources and support they need to help children succeed.

3

We, the Village Coalition

Table of Contents

https://www.righttocareil.com/

4 of 8

Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Early Childhood Advocate

Budget Asks

Support the following FY27 early childhood budget recommendations that invest in children, families, and the early childhood workforce:

​

  • Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP): $80 million total to maintain current caseloads, home based reimbursement rate increase through SEIU Healthcare CBA, and a 3% reimbursement rate increase for center based programs.

​

  • Smart Start Workforce Grants (SSWG): $50 million increase to increase the wage floor for teachers and assistant teachers.

​

  • Early Intervention (EI): $40 million increase based on the state cost model.

​

  • Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE): $5 million increase, totaling $10 million to support early educator scholarships.

​

  • Home Visiting (HV): $5 million increase to expand family support services.

​

  • Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG): $75 million increase to sustain and expand preschool and birth-to-three programs.

4

Table of Contents

Budget Fact Sheet

5 of 8

Why does early childhood need more money?

Illinois has the potential to be the best state in the nation for families with young children. Yet, our early care and learning system remains significantly underfunded at every level.

  • Families are experiencing Early Intervention service delays at unprecedented levels, largely caused by provider shortages.
  • Too many families with young children are unable to access quality, affordable child care and those working in child care programs are wholly undercompensated.
  • Home Visiting programs improve birth outcomes, increase families’ access to primary care, and reduce child abuse and neglect, but decades of flat funding have limited access to these critical services.
  • Early childhood educators remain chronically under-compensated, particularly those working in community-based settings and those serving infants and toddlers.
  • Children, parents, educators, and providers deserve better, and we have the chance to create the future they deserve.

​

​

5

Table of Contents

6 of 8

Call to Action

To make early learning a reality for many more children, Illinois families need policymakers to provide substantial increases in funding for child care, preschool, Home Visiting, Early Intervention, and the early childhood education and care workforce. Sustained, consistent investment is essential for Illinois to continue to be a leading state in early childhood.

Early childhood advocates are calling on parents, providers, and community members to contact their legislators and share why increased funding investments in key programs is an investment in kids, families, and the future.

​

Table of Contents

Scan to take action!

7 of 8

Take these Action Steps

Email your Legislators

Click here to access a letter to send to your legislators. Feel free to add your own personal reasoning for why increased funding for early childhood is important to you.

​

Reshare this Toolkit

Share our toolkit with other parents, educators, providers, and community members. We are stronger in numbers, and it is imperative that early childhood is funded in FY27.

​

​

​

Table of Contents

Follow Our Social Media Calendar

Click here to access a social media calendar and suggested language you can share on your personal or organizational social media channels. We also have a folders with social media graphics here to go along with your posts!

8 of 8

Tag Governor Pritzker and the following legislators in your social media posts

Governor's Office

  • Governor JB Pritzker

Senate Committees

  • Approps Ed 
  • Education

House Committees

  • Approps Higher Ed 
  • Child Care Access & Early Childhood 
  • Elementary & Secondary Educ Approps
  • Education Policy

​

The following names may not be found on all three platforms—X, Facebook, or Instagram—but may appear on a mix of them or not at all.

Table of Contents

Budgeteers

  • Representative Robyn Gabel
  • Representative Kambium Buckner 
  • Representative Eva-Dina Delgado
  • Representative Will Guzzardi

House Committee Chairs

  • Approps Higher Ed - Representative La Shawn K. Ford
  • Childcare Access and ECE – Representative Joyce Mason
  • Elementary & Secondary Educ Approps - Representative William "Will" Davis 
  • Education Policy - Representative Michelle Mussman

Senate Committee Chairs

  • Education Approps – Representative Michael Halpin 
  • Education – Senator Meg Loughran Cappel

​