Overview

The federal government funds over 180 different children’s programs, from child health and education to child welfare and juvenile justice. Childrensbudget.org is a comprehensive guide to all federal spending on children and an invaluable resource for all those seeking to improve the lives of America’s youth.

KEY FINDINGS:

Less than 8 percent of the federal budget is invested in kids. That means less than 8 cents of every dollar goes to kids.
For the first since First Focus began tracking the federal budget, discretionary spending on children has declined 2 years in a row.
Discretionary has been cut more than 7 percent since 2010 after adjusting for inflation.
Total inflation-adjusted spending on children is up more than 17 percent since 2008, because of increased need for mandatory initiatives, like Medicaid and SNAP.
Even with the overall increase since 2008, this is the first year since First Focus began tracking the federal budget, total spending on children declined by more than 2 percent from 2011.

MAINTAINING THE INVESTMENT:

A significant reason for the boost in the federal share of spending on children during 2010 and 2011 was due to increased spending in from the American Recovery and Reinvesment Act (ARRA). Unless, the federal government choses to appropriate higher yearly levels of support, many areas will fe forced to scale back to pre-2009 levels. Many areas are already faced with this so-called "budget cliff" which becoming increasingly important in the current fiscal climate.
The President's Budget, while calling for a 3 percent increase on spending for children, is only a blueprint. Congress must enact the related policies and deep cuts have unfortunately already been proposed for 2013. In face of increasing budget difficulities, increased investements in kids are vital to America's fiscal well-being. Investments in children are some of the best investments.