Ballmer Group Invests in WA Early Childhood Education Expansion

Ballmer Group has announced a new 10-year philanthropic commitment to help Washington State expand access to its Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)—a comprehensive PreK program serving children from families with low incomes. The new grant commitment will support the creation of up to 10,000 new school-day seats, an investment of up to $170 million annually, helping the state grow from serving roughly 14,500 children in 2026-27 to nearly 25,000 when the state achieves full expansion.  

 Accelerating a proven public vision 

Washington has long been a leader in providing high-quality early learning. In 2010, the state set a clear goal: every eligible child should have access to free, high-quality PreK. This guarantee, referred to as “ECEAP Entitlement,” has proven challenging to fully realize. The number of children served has been relatively modest, and growth has been slow due to budget constraints that have delayed full implementation. 

Ballmer Group’s investment is designed to help the state accelerate its existing plan—providing predictable, multi-year funding so that providers can expand capacity and the state can reach families sooner. The state will continue to oversee the program and set rates, with philanthropic funds distributed through a new account managed by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) beginning in 2026. 

 A partnership grounded in alignment 

“This commitment builds on the vision Washington has already set for ECEAP,” said Leslie Dozono, Senior Portfolio Manager for Washington at Ballmer Group. “We see philanthropy’s role as helping government move faster on the goals it’s already defined. By aligning with the state’s leadership and providing long-term funding stability, we can help bring high-quality early learning to more families, sooner.” 

The grant is contingent upon the state maintaining or growing its own annual ECEAP investment—ensuring that philanthropic dollars expand, rather than replace, public funding. It’s also structured to be adaptable; if the state increases its rates, Ballmer Group will match the new rates for its 10,000 slots. 

Investing in early learning as a lever for mobility 

ECEAP is recognized nationally for its quality and whole-family approach. The program combines early education with health screenings, nutrition, and family services, supporting both school readiness and family stability. Research shows that children who attend full-day, high-quality PreK are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn, graduate on time, and succeed in the workforce. Ballmer Group has long prioritized early learning as a driver of economic mobility. By partnering with state systems that are already leading in this work, the organization aims to accelerate progress, expand access, and strengthen the infrastructure that supports children and families. 

“Ballmer Group’s incredible gift comes at an important moment,” Governor Bob Ferguson said. “We’re facing significant budget challenges in our state, compounded by billions of dollars in cuts from the federal government. Earlier this year, the Trump Administration withheld funding for Head Start—another program to help kids access preschool—and has threatened to eliminate it entirely. Ballmer Group’s investment sets up an innovative public-private partnership and will transform the lives of thousands of little Washingtonians and their families. Thank you to Ballmer Group for stepping up for our kids.”

Fact sheet 

How much is Ballmer Group committing to the state? Fully realized, the Ballmer Group gift would fund 10,000 additional slots for eligible children each year, representing an investment of up to approximately $170 million annually. The annual investment will depend on the number of available seats that state ECEAP contractors can offer and is expected to increase each year as new and existing providers expand capacity to access the new funding. Ballmer Group has committed to funding for a decade, matching the state-set rate, provided the state maintains or grows current funding levels.  

Why “roughly” $170 million per year? The estimate is based on the cost of fully funding 10,000 new ECEAP seats at today’s current rates. If the state increases ECEAP rates over the next decade, Ballmer Group will match the new levels, and the per-year estimate could increase. The annual gift will be based on demand (number of seats) and rates and is expected to grow each year.  

How will this work? The grant is structured to allow the state to accept funds, oversee the growth of ECEAP seats, and continue to administer the program, with Ballmer Group serving as a funding partner. To access the philanthropic funds, the Legislature must pass, and the Governor must sign a bill establishing a dedicated state account that will enable the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to oversee and distribute the funds beginning in July 2026.  

However, Ballmer Group’s commitment is predicated on the state’s own commitment to fund and administer the program, meaning that receiving the funds is contingent on the Legislature not cutting any existing ECEAP commitments during the 10-year grant period. This contingency ensures that partnering philanthropic dollars with state funding will create long-term growth.  

What does the state maintaining its commitment mean? The grant is contingent on the expectation that the state maintain or grow its current annual investment/appropriation for ECEAP, including its commitment to maintain or grow school-day seats.  This is a brand new way for philanthropy to do grantmaking in partnership with state government. As such, we cannot anticipate all scenarios and contingencies that will almost certainly arise.  The grant from BG is intended to serve more families than currently reached. The state may decide to use less than the full amount of the grant in any year if it does not see the demand from parents or the availability of sufficient capacity with existing state rates among PreK providers.   

Why ECEAP? Recognized nationally for its quality, ECEAP promotes school readiness, social-emotional development, and foundational skills.  By combining early learning with health screenings, nutrition support, and family services, children are prepared for kindergarten while strengthening families at the same time.  Research shows that children who attend high-quality full-day PreK programs are more likely to enter kindergarten ready to learn, graduate from high school, and succeed in the workforce. Ballmer Group recognizes that the state has already made a commitment to ECEAP by slating it for entitlement; this gift will allow the state to keep moving forward on that promise to Washington families. 

Who is eligible? The state determines ECEAP eligibility. Currently, DCYF stipulates that ECEAP children must be 3 years old but not yet 5 years old on August 31 of the school year, from a family with income at or below 36% of the state median income (SMI), which may include children in foster care and families with Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants. In general, a family of four earning less than $50,000 per year would qualify. Eligibility for the program will increase to 50% SMI in the 2030-31 school year. There are additional eligibility considerations around Tribal children, children with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), children facing homelessness, and other factors that can determine eligibility. Read more at DCYF.