(Caution: 1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Each regional partnership council shall identify the assets available for early childhood development and health programs in its region, including opportunities for coordination and use of other available funding sources.

B. Based on that information, each regional partnership council shall identify and prioritize the unmet need for early childhood development and health programs in its region.

C. Each regional partnership council shall submit a report detailing assets, coordination opportunities and unmet needs to the board biannually. The regional partnership council’s needs and assets assessment shall be forwarded to the board for final approval no later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, beginning in 2008. The board shall have discretion to approve or reject a council’s assessment in whole or in part or to require revisions. The board shall act on all needs and assets assessments no later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, beginning in 2008.

D. Each regional partnership council shall annually develop a regional plan for the expenditure, during the next fiscal year, of funds budgeted by the board pursuant to 8-1184 to meet the needs identified in its region.

1. A regional funding plan may include programs and services to be conducted by the council directly as well as programs and services to be provided by private, public, governmental and faith-based organizations through funding grants.

2. A regional funding plan shall include amounts requested, if any, to complete the regional needs and assets assessments required by this section. These needs and assets assessments may be funded with monies from the program account established pursuant to section 8-1181.

3. Each regional partnership council shall submit its annual regional funding plan to the board for approval no later than January 1 of each year, beginning in 2009. The board shall have discretion to approve or reject a council’s plan in whole or in part or to require revisions. The board shall act on all regional funding plans no later than February 1 of each year, beginning in 2009.

E. After its regional plan has been approved by the board, each regional partnership council shall conduct the approved programs directly and/or make the approved grants pursuant to section 8-1173.

F. The board may, on a finding of good cause, approve needs and assets assessments and regional funding plans received after the deadlines set forth in this section, including revised assessments or plans re-submitted in response to board action revising or rejecting a submitted assessment or plan.

G. Each regional partnership council shall increase parents’ and providers’ access to information about early childhood development and health programs. Methods for meeting this requirement include:

1. Providing information about the programs and services provided by the board, the council and grant recipients.

2. Providing information about existing federal, state, local and private sources of funding available to improve the quality of and access to early childhood development and health programs.

3. Providing support and training for early childhood development and health providers.

4. Informing providers and parents about licensing and other requirements for early childhood development and health providers.

5. Fostering cooperation among early childhood development and health providers in order to increase the number of children and families served and improve outcomes for children and families served.

H. Each regional partnership council may solicit private funds from individuals, corporations and foundations to support its efforts to improve the quality of and access to early childhood development and health programs in its region. The board must approve any gifts received in response to council solicitations. Approved gifts shall be deposited into the private gifts account of the early childhood development and health fund pursuant to section 8-1182.