Coordinating and integrating existing public-sector funding involves taking separate public funding streams that were created to support a specific program and using these funds in a coordinated or integrated way to support system building in early childhood or support an initiative or program. Coordination and integration of public funds often eliminates or minimizes overlap and gaps in services. Some states have sought to improve coordination by restructuring the agencies that administer early childhood funds for integration of public funding. 

• Several states have created a governor’s children’s cabinet or other state-level early childhood agency to ensure coordination and integration of early care and education, including financing issues. In Virginia, the Children’s Cabinet is committed to providing coordination oversight across child- and family-serving systems.[37]
• Several States—such as Connecticut,[38] Georgia, and Massachusetts—have established an entirely new agency to administer all early childhood funds. Others, such as Arkansas and Maryland, have transferred their early childhood programs to one agency. Still others, such as Pennsylvania, have otherwise consolidated their early childhood programs.[39]
• North Carolina created a statewide public-private partnership to manage early care and education funds and improve coordination. North Carolina’s partnership for children (Smart Start) supports local entities to advance a high-quality, comprehensive, accountable system of care for early care and education.[40]

[37] Virginia Office of the Secretary of Education. (n.d.). Children’s cabinet. [Web page]. Retrieved from https://hhr.virginia.gov/childrens-cabinet/.

[38] Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. (2015). About us. [Web page]. Retrieved from http://www.ct.gov/oec/cwp/view.asp?a=4546&q=535738.

[39] Regenstein, E., & Lipper, K. (2013). A Framework for choosing a state-level early childhood governance system. Boston: BUILD Initiative.

[40] North Carolina Partnership for Children, Inc. (n.d.). About Smart Start [Web page]. Retrieved from http://www.smartstart.org/about-smart-start/.