Starting early: State Treasurer and state childcare leader highlight Oregon’s $100 “Baby Grad” bonus for infants

Press Release · September 18, 2026

Starting early: State Treasurer and state childcare leader highlight Oregon's $100 "Baby Grad" bonus for infants

At a community baby shower, Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner, MD, and Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care Director Alyssa Chatterjee joined families, infants, and expecting parents to celebrate the importance of starting early when planning for a child's education future with the "Baby Grad" bonus, underscoring Oregon's commitment to helping families begin saving from day one.

Oregon's "Baby Grad" bonus offers families a $100 contribution when they open an Embark account before their child's first birthday with as little as $25. Embark is Oregon's official 529 education savings program, designed to make saving simple and accessible for all families.

"The best time to start saving is as soon as you can," said Treasurer Steiner, who recently became a grandmother. "With Baby Grad, every family of every baby in Oregon can benefit and get into the habit of saving toward a bright future, wherever it leads."

When young children have assets set aside, there is more time for those investments to grow, putting the long-term benefits of compound interest to work for Oregon kids.

A new parent herself, Director Chatterjee said, "We are excited to see the Oregon State Treasury investing in young children. The early years set the foundation for learning, health, and future success. When we support early education and care, we create a continuum of opportunity that carries children from their first steps to a future full of possibilities."

The free, bilingual community baby shower was hosted by Yamhill Community Care Early Learning and the City of McMinnville. The event provides families with resources, education and infant essentials to help give children the strongest possible start in life.

"We know education is a major determinant of a person's lifelong health outcomes," said Seamus McCarthy, President & CEO of Yamhill Community Care. "That's why early learning is so important. Thanks to the Baby Grad program, families can start a child on a road to lifelong learning."

To qualify for the Baby Grad $100 incentive, families simply need to open an account with at least $25 before their child's first birthday. Families expecting a baby can also get a $100 head start when they open an account and switch the beneficiary to their child before their first birthday.

Additionally, there's good news for families who have already opened accounts: Every Oregonian who contributes to an Embark account is eligible for an annual refundable tax credit up to $380 for joint filers and $190 for single filers.

Savings in Embark accounts can be used for accredited community colleges, trade schools, universities, apprenticeship programs, and more. Research shows that children are much more likely to start and complete education after high school if they have an education savings account in their name.

About Embark
Embark is Oregon's trusted 529 education savings plan. Embark makes it simple for families to save for whatever comes after high school, supporting a wide range of education paths, whether that's college, trade school, career training, or apprenticeships. Embark can help you save for it all, tax-free, and earn a refundable tax credit every year. To learn more, visit embarksavings.com.

About Oregon State Treasury
Oregon State Treasury improves the financial well-being of all Oregonians. We provide low-cost banking, debt management, and investment programs for governments and empower Oregonians to invest in themselves and their loved ones through Upward Oregon savings programs: Embark, Oregon ABLE Savings Plan, and OregonSaves. Treasury also manages the state's Unclaimed Property Program and issues bonds that foster economic development across the state.

About the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care
The Department of Early Learning and Care's mission is to foster coordinated, culturally appropriate, and family-centered services that recognize and respect the strengths and needs of all children, families, and early learning and care professionals. More information about DELC is available at Oregon.gov/DELC.

About Yamhill Community Care
Yamhill Community Care (YCCO) is a coordinated care organization that serves Oregon Health Plan (OHP) Members in Yamhill County and parts of Washington and Polk Counties. YCCO's more than 90 employees are dedicated to improving members' quality of life by coordinating family support services and effective, integrated, patient-centered health care. YCCO stands out as the only CCO that is also an Early Learning Hub, which coordinates early literacy, home visiting, parent engagement, preschool enrollment, kindergarten readiness, workforce development, and more. Learn more at yamhillcco.org and yamhillearlylearning.org.