At Third Sector, a core part of our work is helping partners build authentic community leadership and shared decisionmaking structures. Our work with Small Magic addresses longstanding gaps in the early childhood ecosystem in Jefferson County, Alabama, which reflect a national trend of policymakers undervaluing provider expertise and making policy decisions disconnected from the lived experiences and realities of children and families. The recent launch of the Jefferson County Provider Council, a result of our work with Small Magic, serves as a compelling case study on how to establish authentic