Smart Start Northwest Kansas provides educational, support, and professional development services to early childhood educators (family childcare, center staff, Head Start and preschool teachers) and families in northwest Kansas. The programs Smart Start provides are determined by the analysis of the needs in the community. Smart Start also works to enhance and expand the services that were already in place so that energy and money are not wasted by duplicating efforts.

Northwest Kansas Child Care Resource & Referral provides educational services to early childhood educators and assists parents in finding childcare. Smart Start partners with Northwest Kansas Child Care Resource & Referral to enhance and expand the services the Resource & Referral was already providing. Smart Start has partnered with Colby Community College by making college courses available to early childhood educators. Smart Start sponsors early childhood courses for the educators making college courses a reality to those who might not have had the opportunity to complete college courses.

Smart Start seeks to improve quality early childhood education through training and assessment of individuals and programs. Smart Start provides funding for childcare providers who are seeking their Child Development Associates (CDA) credential. This credential is the first step on the professional development ladder. Smart Start also provides funding for the accreditation process for family childcare providers through the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) and preschools through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). These associations provide nation wide standards for quality childcare.

Smart Start has partnered with the Northwest Kansas Educational Service Center. The Service Center provides the Parents as Teachers program to northwest Kansas families with children birth to three years old. Smart Start provides funding to the Service Center to employ additional staff to administer a three to five year old Parents as Teachers program in conjunction with the birth to three Parents as Teachers program.

Smart Start has partnered with member libraries of the Northwest Kansas Library System to enhance and expand the libraries services to children under school age.

Smart Start has also opened a childcare facility in Thomas County to serve the needs of parents who require non-traditional hour childcare. Kids Port serves parents who work part-time, shift work, college students, and those who need evening or weekend childcare. Kids Port is also a hands-on lab site for Colby Community College students who need experience working with young children.