More and more cities and counties fund and run their own early childhood programs, but each seems to operate them in its own unique way. While the opportunity to design and build a new program can be inspiring, the process itself can be painstaking and fraught with second guesses. Unfortunately, there are few resources to help policymakers and administrators decide how to set up a new early childhood program. This resource provides foundational information about the design and governance of existing early childhood programs and will help guide the field toward more efficient, effective governance designs. For existing program leaders, this resource offers insight on how to more effectively navigate and advocate within the constraints of their own governance structure.