2026 Smart Start Conference Recap

Smart Start & NCPC News
2026 Smart Start Conference Recap

2026 Smart Start Conference Recap

May 14, 2026/
Smart Start & NCPC News /

The 2026 Smart Start Conference brought together early childhood professionals, policymakers, and advocates from 18 states and 2 countries for four days of learning, connection, and collaboration in Greensboro, NC.

Here’s a recap of the week:

Monday, May 4: Preconferences

We kicked off the conference with a full day of preconferences; our preconference sessions are designed to allow attendees to spend a full day immersed in a specific topic.

Message to Money: Bridging Fundraising & Communications| Designed for nonprofit leaders, this session explored how to align fundraising strategy and communications to drive sustainable revenue goals.
Stronger Together: Aligning Systems, Supporting People| Designed for early childhood technical assistance providers and state partners, this session provided practical updates on QRIS modernization and created space for shared understanding, well-being, and sustainability.
Beyond the Table: Building Inclusive Pathways for Family-Led Change| Designed for family support professionals, this session explored how to shift power and foster authentic partnerships that transition parents from participants to co-leaders.

Tuesday, May 5: Workshops, an Opening Keynote, and Flex Block

The day began with our first block of workshops across tracks including Early Care and Education; Child, Family, & Community Health; Family Support and Engagement; Public Engagement, Fundraising, and Management; Systems Building; and Data, Learning, and Evaluation.

Opening Keynote: Josh Davis, VP of Policy and Partnerships at StriveTogether, led a powerful conversation on From Cradle to Career: Turning Partnership into Economic Mobility, exploring how cross-sector partnerships can drive measurable outcomes for children and families while connecting systems-level change to the daily work of early childhood leaders.

Afternoon Highlights: After a lunch break, the afternoon continued with workshop sessions and our flex block — a series of sessions designed to give attendees a chance to try something new and have fun! This year’s options included Board Games, a Tabletop Escape Room, a Walk, Jog, Wander Club, Yoga, and Zumba.

Wednesday, May 6: Workshops, Featured Sessions, Sponsor Hour, and Networking

Wednesday continued the momentum with a workshop block that led into our Featured Sessions — three concurrent conversations on timely early childhood topics:

Ensuring a Better Future: A Conversation and Call to Action — Dr. Iheoma U. Iruka and Prof. Jenni Owen explored challenges and opportunities in cross-sector collaboration to support children, families, and communities.
The North Carolina Maternal and Early Childhood Health Initiative: Supporting Every Family’s Healthy Start — Speakers from Duke University, THRIVE Family & Education Center, NCPC, and Nurture NC shared new initiatives to build comprehensive prenatal-to-three systems of care across North Carolina.
Solving the Child Care Trilemma: Access, Affordability, Quality — Moderated by NCPC President Amy Cubbage, state and local leaders tackled how communities are balancing family access, provider sustainability, and program quality.

Afternoon Highlights: The afternoon featured a Sponsor Hour and Flex Block, including a Live Cooking Demo and Nutrition Tips, Tai Chi, and Tabletop Escape Room, followed by another round of workshops.

Networking Hour: The day concluded with a networking hour in the sponsor area, providing a space for attendees to connect over light appetizers, drinks, and a little line dancing!

Thursday, May 7: Last Round of Sessions, Closing Luncheon, and Keynote

The final day featured two morning workshop blocks before concluding with our Closing Luncheon and Keynote.

A special thank you to Kaplan Early Learning Company, our Closing Luncheon Sponsor, for making our final gathering of the conference a memorable one!

Closing Keynote: Dr. Nefertiti Poyner, Founder & CEO of Mighty Works Education Group, LLC, delivered Building Your Bounce: Promoting Adult Resilience — a session centered on strengthening the well-being of the adults who support children, families, and communities every day. She shared practical, research-based strategies to reduce stress, build resilience, and find greater joy in both life and work.

And we would like to give one last extra special thank you to the over 180 speakers and 45 volunteers that made the 2026 Smart Start Conference possible.