Families across Travis County will soon have more access to child care and after-school programs thanks to a new $4.1 million investment. This funding, through a partnership between United Way for Greater Austin and Travis County, is part of the Raising Travis County Initiative, which supports early leaning, child care, and out-of-school-time and summer programs for families across the county.
This investment builds on decades of grassroots effort and fulfills a commitment made to the community in November 2024, when voters approved Proposition A to strengthen support for children and families countywide.
“The first five years of life are the most critical period of brain development, and the care and learning experiences children have during this time shape their futures and our region’s economic strength,” said Ingrid Taylor, CEO of United Way for Greater Austin. “This investment ensures that families have access to high‑quality care and that the providers who serve them have the stability and support they need to succeed.”
Expanding Proven Systems of Support
The funding will support the expansion of United Way’s Shared Services Alliance, a model that strengthens child care and youth‑serving providers by offering administrative, operational, and business supports, along with individualized coaching. These services help reduce operational burdens, improve sustainability, and allow providers to focus on quality improvement and child outcomes.
Through this new contract, United Way will:
- Expand the Shared Services Alliance for child care providers
- Grow the Pre‑K Partnerships program
- Strengthen support for family‑based child care providers
- Extend Shared Services through a partnership with the Andy Roddick Foundation to out‑of‑school‑time and summer learning providers
Supporting Families Beyond the School Day
For working families, out‑of‑school‑time and summer programs are essential. These programs provide safe, enriching environments during critical hours when school is not in session, supporting children’s academic progress, social development, and overall well‑being.
By expanding our Shared Services program to these providers, United Way and the Andy Roddick Foundation are addressing common challenges such as staffing shortages, rising costs, and administrative burden and ensuring programs can remain open, sustainable, and high‑quality.
“Children who aren’t learning during the after school hours and summer days are falling up to two years behind by 5th grade,” said Jaime Garcia, president and CEO of the Andy Roddick Foundation. “These are the years to build relationships, connections, confidence, engagement in learning for our children and support our working families. The foundation, along with 40+ partners, are committed to ending the learning gap and creating better opportunities for kids today so they will have better options for tomorrow.”
Strengthening Family‑Based and Center‑Based Providers
Family‑based child care providers play a vital role in serving infants, toddlers, and families with nontraditional schedules, yet often operate with limited resources. This investment allows United Way to offer business resources and discounts, individualized coaching, and differentiated professional development to strengthen sustainability and expand capacity across both family‑based and center‑based settings.
Built on Decades of Community Leadership
The May 12 announcement builds on more than two decades of early childhood system‑building in Travis County, including the leadership of the Success By 6 Coalition, which has advanced early childhood policy and practice since 2005.
United Way for Greater Austin extends its appreciation to the Travis County Commissioners Court, Judge Brown, Raising Travis County leadership and staff, community partners, advocates, business leaders, and voters who made this upcoming investment possible.
“This is a powerful example of what happens when a community commits to children and follows through,” said Ingrid Taylor. “These funds will strengthen providers, support families, and create lasting opportunity for children across Travis County.”