Newsom Spent $20 Million in Taxpayer Money on “Free” Diapers. The Nonprofit He Chose Is Tied to His Wife. California’s Budget Deficit Is $57 Billion.
- $20M total taxpayer commitment: $7.4M already approved + $12.5M proposed in the 2026–27 budget — CA Governor's Office
- 400 diapers per newborn — what each California family will receive from the Golden State Start program — CA Governor's Office
- $77M annual revenue of Baby2Baby, the nonprofit selected to manufacture and distribute the diapers — California Globe
- Board overlap Baby2Baby Co-CEO Norah Weinstein sits on the board of the First Partner's California Partners Project — Daily Caller / Yahoo News
On May 8, 2026 — days before California’s legislature began final deliberations on a budget with a $57 billion deficit — Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced Golden State Start: a “first in the nation” program to give every California newborn 400 free diapers at a total cost of $20 million in taxpayer funds.
Within 48 hours, critics were asking who got the contract — and why. The answer: Baby2Baby, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit whose co-CEO sits on the board of the California Partners Project, the signature initiative of First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the Governor’s wife.
Golden State Start will distribute diapers manufactured under that label through participating hospitals statewide. In its first year, the program will roll out at 65–75 hospitals handling approximately 25% of California births — prioritizing Medi-Cal facilities serving low-income patients. Newsom said diaper costs have risen 45% since the pandemic and that the program addresses a basic needs gap.
The state committed $7.4 million in already-approved funds and is proposing an additional $12.5 million in the 2026–27 budget — a total of $20 million for a program that California Globe noted will serve a fraction of the state’s births in year one. Critics quickly pointed out that bulk retail prices for diapers at equivalent volume are significantly lower, raising questions about what exactly the $20 million covers beyond the diapers themselves.
Baby2Baby Co-CEO Norah Weinstein sits on the board of the California Partners Project — the flagship initiative of First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
The California Partners Project promotes gender equity and is closely associated with Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s public profile as First Partner.
Baby2Baby is a $77 million nonprofit. It received a no-bid state contract worth $20 million in public funds. No competitive bidding process has been publicly disclosed.
American Greatness reported that Newsom is now facing fraud claims over the deal. The California Globe and Daily Caller separately documented the board overlap and questioned the selection process.
California faces a projected budget deficit of $57 billion for fiscal year 2026–27. In that environment, a governor announcing a $20 million discretionary spending program — tied to a nonprofit with documented personal connections to his family — is a political choice worth scrutinizing.
Newsom has simultaneously proposed significant cuts to state health and social services programs. The announcement of Golden State Start came the same week as deliberations over those cuts, leading Townhall’s Amy Curtis to headline her coverage: “Gavin Newsom’s Free Diaper Scheme Is Full of It.”
“There's Something Smelly About Gavin Newsom's Free Diaper Giveaway.”
Mary Rooke, Daily Caller — May 11, 2026
The Governor’s office did not directly respond to the conflict-of-interest allegations in the first 48 hours of coverage. The official announcement emphasized the program’s first-in-the-nation status, the 45% rise in diaper costs since the pandemic, and the focus on Medi-Cal hospitals serving low-income families.
Newsom’s team has not publicly explained why Baby2Baby was selected over competitive alternatives, what the procurement process involved, or how the $20 million figure was calculated relative to retail diaper pricing. Those are the unanswered questions.