What’s in the FY2026 Budget for Babies?

Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress must pass a spending plan or “appropriations” that determines how much the government will spend on a range of programs and services, many of which impact infants, toddlers, and their families.  

The President typically starts the annual “appropriations” process by sending a proposal – called the “President’s Budget” – which outlines the priorities of the Administration to Congress. Like any proposal, the President’s Budget is not binding and congressional committees will use it as a starting point for negotiations. 

For the federal government to be funded for the next fiscal year (FY 2026) which begins on October 1, 2025, each House of Congress must pass, and the President must sign, appropriations bills by October 1, 2026. 

What has the Administration proposed for babies in the coming year?

The President’s Budget for 2026 proposes a range of concerning cuts that would eliminate or significantly undermine programs that strengthen babies and families.

For example, the budget proposal makes significant cuts to: 

• Programs supporting maternal health, including the Special Projects of Regional and National Significance included in the Title V Maternal and child Health Block Grant;  
• Funding for the child welfare system, including for foster care and grants for prevention of child abuse and neglect;  
• The WIC nutrition program for pregnant women, infants and young children.  

The budget proposal eliminates funding for vital programs that provide prevention, early diagnosis, and early intervention services for children’s mental health, including the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grants and Project LAUNCH.  

The President’s Budget proposes significant reorganizations of federal agencies and funding streams, which would change how the Federal government operates key programs for babies and families and which could make those programs less able to meet families’ needs. Within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the President proposes creating a new agency called the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), which would absorb several existing agencies, including the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (HRSA). These agencies currently administer critical funding for babies and families, such as SAMHSA’s National child Traumatic Stress Initiative and HRSA’s Community Health Centers. 

In the Department of Education, which the President has proposed for closure, various funding streams for K-12 special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) would be consolidated into a single grant to states. However, Part C of the IDEA, which serves infants and toddlers with developmental delays and disabilities, would maintain a separate funding stream, maintaining its specialized focus on infants and toddlers.  

See the table below for more information on past and proposed federal funding levels for key programs that ZERO TO THREE tracks, organized by ZERO TO THREE’s policy framework for what all children need: Good Health, Strong Families, and Positive Early Learning Experiences.