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16 <br /> 3. WHEN ARE FUNDS NEEDED? <br /> The Task Force has received a conditional commitment from United Way <br /> of Greater Orange County for $3,000 in start-up funds. Included in <br /> the General Statues amendment is $10,000 (now $15, 000) for each <br /> county for an early childhood services inventory. The Task Force <br /> needs a $5000 advance on these funds now to hire a part time <br /> manager, establish the liaison with all the agencies and institu- <br /> tions whose approval of the Smart Start application must be <br /> obtained, begin preparations for the services inventory and for the <br /> application. An initial budget is included. <br /> 4. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE TWO YEARS FOR WHICH STATE FUNDING <br /> IS APPROVED? <br /> The honest answer is that, although the Governor and many members of <br /> the legislature have intentions to continue, and we have hopes no <br /> one really knows. Continuing funding is dependent on many factors, <br /> chief among which will be the successes produced by these <br /> initiatives. However, many factors limit the risk of non- <br /> continuance of funding: <br /> The intent of the State initiative is to prototype a variety of <br /> initiatives in many parts of the state and then to spread the <br /> successful ones throughout the state on a continuing basis. In this <br /> regard, the five year kindergarten program is a model. It is <br /> clearly intended to continue state funding if the initiative is <br /> successful. <br /> Locally, the Child Care Resources Task Force has committed itself to <br /> the realization of the early childhood education and development <br /> vision produced by the May 1993 Symposium regardless of whether or <br /> not its application for state funding is successful. Those parts of <br /> the vision which were identified as of highest priority can be <br /> achieved with minimal funding. These include: <br /> 1. Coordination and collaboration of and between existing <br /> agencies and institutions, both in existing services and in <br /> the development of new services to meet emerging needs. <br /> 2 . The development of public/private partnerships. <br /> 3. The education of the public and of its various communities <br /> in the importance of early child care and development and <br /> the vital stake which all of us have in its improvement. <br />