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In November 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10, the California Children & Families Act. The unprecedented statewide ballot initiative levied a 50 cent tax on cigarettes to fund early childhood development from the prenatal stage to age five and anti-tobacco education. The state expects 700 million dollars to be collected every year from the tobacco tax.

On December 8, 1998, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors established the Stanislaus County Children & Families Commission. The County Commission is responsible for administering Prop. 10 monies in the form of grants to the community. Funding to County Commissions is based upon county birth rates. Stanislaus County has an estimated 7,000 births a year and expects to receive around 6 million dollars each year.

The money can only be used to augment existing programs or to create new ones. All programs funded by Prop. 10 must also focus on preparing children to enter school healthy and ready to learn. Prop. 10 money cannot be used to replace existing funding for services or programs