Recognizing that healthy environments, financial stability, and safe homes are essential for thriving children, families, and communities, NLC created the Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab, a unique nine-month initiative to drive local action for the prenatal-to-three population. The Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab focuses on strategies to address key contributors to poor maternal and infant outcomes, including climate & environmental factors, family economic insecurity, and housing instability.
The Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab offers participating cities a blend of in-person and virtual sessions that connect them with early childhood experts, peer networks, tailored resources, and real-world city examples. Throughout the series, leaders are able to refine their strategic vision and develop actionable commitments on behalf of the prenatal-to-three population in their cities through collaborative cohort discussions, as well as guidance from national partners and NLC staff.
Participating cities receive support to:
- Integrate early childhood frameworks with climate and environmental initiatives that promote healthy air, green space, and sustainable neighborhoods.
- Embed early childhood and family-centered strategies in economic development efforts that enhance financial stability and workforce participation for parents and caregivers.
- Connect housing policies to the specific needs of expectant parents and families with infants and toddlers, ensuring access to stable, safe, and affordable homes.
Through this initiative, participants will gain the tools, expertise, and collaboration necessary to create lasting, meaningful change for their youngest residents and broader communities.
Participating Cities
The 16 cities participating in the 2026 Prenatal-to-Three Impact Lab:
- City of Austin, TX
- City of Cambridge, MA
- City of College Park, MD
- City of East Orange, NJ
- City of Henderson, NV
- City of Houston, TX
- City of LaBelle, FL
- City of Louisville, KY
- City of Madison, WI
- City of Milwaukee, WI
- City of New Haven, CT
- City of New Orleans, LA
- City of Park City, UT
- City of Toledo, OH
- City of Tulsa, OK
- City of Vancouver, WA
Participating National Partners & Resources
- Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University
- The mission of the Center on the Developing Child is to leverage the power of science in pursuit of better, more equitable outcomes for young children facing adversity.
- Resource: Extreme Heat Effects Child Development
- The New School’s Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy
- The Institute aims to address economic insecurity through strategic partnerships and people-focused investments.
- Resource: A Brighter Future with Baby Bonds
- SchoolHouse Connection
- SchoolHouse Connection is a national non-profit organization working to overcome homelessness through early care and education. They provide strategic assistance to early childhood programs, schools, institutions of higher education, service providers, families and youth.
This Impact Lab is made possible by the generous support of the Pritzker Children’s Initiative.