Park City picked for national program to strengthen early childhood support

Photo: Photo by BBC Creative

PARK CITY, Utah — Park City Municipal has been selected as one of 16 cities nationwide to participate in the National League of Cities’ Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab, a nine-month technical assistance and peer-learning cohort aimed at improving outcomes for infants, toddlers, and their families.

City officials said the selection reflects Park City’s recent investments in early childhood support, including its Childcare Scholarship Program, which helps eligible families offset childcare costs.

Through the cohort, city staff will work with early childhood experts and peer cities and receive resources and examples intended to help local leaders strengthen policies tied to factors that influence maternal and infant outcomes, including family economic insecurity, housing instability, and environmental conditions, according to the city and the National League of Cities.

“This program is about making childcare more accessible for working families while supporting the providers who make it possible and bolstering our economy,” said Michelle Downard, strategic initiatives advisor at Park City Municipal. She said the city plans to use the cohort to “refine what’s already working in Park City” and strengthen the scholarship program.

Park City’s Childcare Scholarship Program is administered in partnership with Upwards, and Park City and Summit County have jointly contributed close to $2 million toward making childcare more affordable for families who live or work in Park City or Summit County. Scholarships are awarded based on need for qualifying households with eligible childcare expenses for children up to kindergarten eligibility age, with funds available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the city.

Clarence E. Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities, said the cohort is designed to help cities translate commitments into local action. “Every child can flourish when communities invest in healthy environments, stable housing, and economic security,” Anthony said.

The National League of Cities lists the 2026 cohort as Austin, Texas; Cambridge, Massachusetts; College Park, Maryland; East Orange, New Jersey; Henderson, Nevada; Houston, Texas; LaBelle, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky; Madison, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; New Haven, Connecticut; New Orleans, Louisiana; Park City, Utah; Toledo, Ohio; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Vancouver, Washington.

More information about Park City’s Childcare Scholarship Program is available on the city’s website.