Best Starts for Kids (Best Starts) is a community-driven initiative to support every baby born or child raised in King County so they reach adulthood happy, healthy, safe, and thriving.
Providing King County kids with the best start in life.
BLOG
Happy, Healthy, Safe and Thriving in King County, Wa
kids, youth, & caregivers served through mid-2020
Invested throughout King County
Community Partners
new community-led programs
Our Philosophy
Promotion
We increase the positive things available to babies, children, young people and their families.
Prevention
We decrease things that may prevent babies, children and young people from growing up to be healthy and happy.
Policy & Systems Change
We work to change systems and policies so that all communities in our region can thrive and prosper regardless of race or place.
Early Intervention
We intervene early to support children and young people who need additional resources to succeed.
Learn more at Kingcounty.gov
How do we do it?
The first Best Starts levy, approved by King County voters in 2015, invested $400 million into our community over six years and supported more than half a million children, youth, young adults, and families in partnership with over 500 community-based organizations.
Support
Equity
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Transparency
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Browse Events
Relationships
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Community Oriented
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Best Starts
VALUES
Best Starts for Kids strengthens families and communities so that babies are born healthy, children thrive and establish a strong foundation for life, and young people grow into happy, healthy adults. We do this by focusing on these key values.
Equity
Transparency
Relationships
Community Oriented
Events & Workshops
Now accepting applications for the Youth Healing Project – apply by July 17!
We are excited to share that the Best Starts for Kids Youth Healing Project request for proposal (RFP) is now open! This funding opportunity closes on July 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM, please submit your application by then. Click here to view the...
Announcing 12 Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline awardees
At Best Starts, we work to build equitable systems and create pathways of success for young people 12 to 24 years old. Our Stopping the School-to-Prison Pipeline (SSPP) strategy partners with community-based organizations to support young people...
Two capital projects completed: Children’s Therapy Center and Encompass Northwest
When infrastructure and community spaces are safe and align with the community’s needs, children and families can be happy, healthy, and safe. Through our Capital Program Priority 2 request for proposals, Best Starts is supporting...
Register for our King County Perinatal Providers Gathering: A Self Care Event on June 27
A collage of photos from the spring 2025 King County Perinatal Providers Gathering Register! Join us for the next King County Perinatal Providers Gathering on June 27, 2025, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. This gathering is for King County birthworkers to...
Child Care Subsidy Program & Workforce Demonstration Project
We expand access for children and their families who are not eligible for existing federal, state, or local subsidy programs or for whom these programs are insufficient and supports investments in the child care workforce through a wage boost demonstration project.
Learn more here.
Preventing Youth & Homelessness
Best Starts’ Youth and Family Homelessness Prevention Initiative invests in case management and flexible funds to support families that are on the verge of homelessness. Learn more here.
Strengthening Communities
Best Starts invests in Communities of Opportunity, a unique community-public-private initiative that believes the most meaningful, just, and sustainable solutions are generated in partnership with communities, who know what they need to be healthy and thrive. Learn more here.
Capital Projects
If the total projected levy proceeds exceeds $822M, additional funding – up to $50M – will be used to provide grants to support repairs and expansion of buildings and facilities, and to support the construction of new buildings and facilities that will serve children and youth.
DATA
Best Starts for Kids Dashboard
Best Starts for Kids is King County’s community-driven initiative to support every baby born and child raised in King County to be happy, healthy, safe, and thriving.
This dashboard shows the impact of Best Starts funding across its eight investment areas: Child Care, Investing Early, Sustain the Gain, Youth and Family Homelessness Prevention Initiative, Communities of Opportunity, Capital Projects, Technical Assistance and Capacity Building, and Data and Evaluation.
We value data and evaluation to understand how our investments are impacting King County’s children and communities. Learn more here.
Learn More!
Got Questions? Reach out for more details.
Kora Handsan
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Miranda Hunt
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