Skip to Content

First Things First

All Arizona’s children are ready to succeed in school and in life.

First Things First is Arizona’s early childhood agency, committed to the healthy development and learning of young children from birth to age 5.

From birth to age 5, children’s brains develop faster than any other time in their lives and set the foundation for future learning. That’s why Arizonans created First Things First—a voter-initiated, statewide organization that funds early education and health programs to prepare young children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Local regional councils, staffed by community volunteers, decide  how funds are spent to support the healthy development and learning of Arizona’s young children.

First Things First is one of the critical partners in creating a family-centered, comprehensive, collaborative and high-quality early childhood system that supports the development, health and early education of all Arizona’s children birth through age 5.