About First Five Nebraska
We work to create policy solutions for Nebraska’s early childhood challenges
First Five Nebraska’s (FFN) work is founded on the understanding that every Nebraskan has a stake in the policy decisions that affect the early care, education and healthy development of our youngest children. For more than 15 years, First Five Nebraska that understanding has helped us champion a broad array of significant policy advances for young children and their families. Now, as a founding initiative of Early Futures Partnership, we’re building on that legacy to create a stronger early childhood ecosystem in Nebraska.
What We Do
We Engage—Building understanding from the ground up.
FFN connects directly with stakeholders across the state—parents, early childhood professionals, healthcare providers, business leaders, public officials and others—to understand their needs, obstacles and insights. This ensures our policy work is rooted in, and responsive to, the experiences of those we serve.
We Advise—Turning understanding into actionable policy
FFN provides expert advisement to stakeholders and decision makers, helping them develop policy strategies to address early childhood priorities at the administrative and legislative levels. The Guidance we offer helps ensure policy solutions are practical, fiscally responsible and sustainable.
We Advocate—Mobilizing Nebraskans around key priorities
Meaningful policy solutions require public will and sustained momentum. FFN conducts public education on critical early childhood issues and plays a central role in mobilizing and coordinating grassroots action across Nebraska to support policy objectives.
We Evaluate—Measuring what matters in early childhood
FFN conducts research and data analysis to better illuminate Nebraska’s early childhood landscape, assess statewide needs, and analyze and interpret the data necessary to develop and refine smart policy solutions. Our evaluation work ensures the strategies we promote are informed by credible evidence.
Our Priorities
Grow the availability of prenatal and maternal health supports to improve the well-being of expectant and new mothers, and strengthen babies’ health outcomes, especially those most at risk.
Improve how maternal and child health data is collected, shared and used to better inform health care policy.
Put evidence-based home visiting services within the reach of more Nebraska families to help parents better guide the early development of their youngest children.
Create healthier home environments for Nebraskans by promoting food security and nutritional supports for expectant women and families with young children.
Encourage cross-sector collaborations to address Nebraska’s child care shortage, while making quality child care more accessible and affordable to working families.
Stabilize and grow the early childhood workforce through incentives to attract, develop and anchor more professionals in early childhood care and education.
Develop a regulatory environment that supports, not hinders, high-quality child care programs and their staff.
Our Impact
2,562
Families made newly eligible for child care assistance within two years of the passage of LB485 (2021)
$6M+
Secured for home visiting services over 5 years through LB1412 (2024)
$25M
In tax credits made available annually to families, child care providers and financial contributors to child care since 2024
200+
Advocates graduated from the Nebraska Early Childhood Policy Leadership Academy since 2018
Latest Resources
Explore reports, videos and other resources to inform and support early childhood policy.
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