Background

In 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10, the Children and Families Act, a statewide ballot initiative taxing tobacco products. The monies collected are used statewide and locally to fund programs that promote early childhood development for children ages 0-5 and their families. The Yolo County Board of Supervisors created First 5 Yolo in 1998 following the passage of Proposition 10. Originally formed as the Yolo County Children and Families Commission (YCCFC), YCCFC officially adopted the name First 5 Yolo in 2005 to further spotlight its mission of service to children in the first 5 years of life and their families, and for consistency with the overseeing state commission known as First 5 California.

First 5 is a statewide network comprised of local commissions in all 58 counties, First 5 California, and the First 5 Association. First 5 Yolo receives funding based on the number of live births in the County (approximately 2,400 per year) as a percentage of all live births in California. Governed by a Commission of nine individuals appointed by the Board of Supervisors, First 5 Yolo is a county agency with certain independent authority, including authority over its finances and strategic plan.

Update:
On June 9, 2021, The Commission adopted First 5 Yolo’s FY18/19-22/23 Strategic Plan Update and Extension. (Att. A. First 5 Yolo 2018-2023 Strategic Plan). The Commission adopted this Strategic Plan for an interim period for FY21-23, in recognition that the main initiatives of First 5 Yolo (The CHILD Project: Road to Resilience (R2R), Help Me Grow Yolo, and QCC/IMPACT) are all multi-year leveraged programs involving MOU or grant agreements with State agencies, County, and other partners that run beyond the current Strategic Plan timeframe. The 2-year extension to the Strategic Plan presents a refined and updated version of the FY18-21 Plan, reaffirming priorities and the general direction largely set by those multi-year initiatives begun under the current Strategic Plan that continue beyond its conclusion.  The extension includes the required update to the Funding Plan that is driven by these initiatives and leveraging agreements with other state and local funding agencies.

The FY 20/21 Local Evaluation Report (Att. B. Local Evaluation Infographic), adopted by The Commission on June 12, 2021, contains information from programs funded under the First 5 Yolo Strategic Plan from July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021. Investments reflect First 5 Yolo’s focus on better coordinating systems investments across three major initiatives. First 5 Yolo works closely and consistently with its programs to understand impacts on the children and families.  The annual Local Evaluation Report is a summary document submitted to The State to communicate key evaluation findings for efforts designed, coordinated, and implemented during the year.