Typically, Federal entitlement statutes reflect a traditional program approach, with separate program funds attached to the legislative intent. The Part C provisions of Public Law (PL) 99-457, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), however, were envisioned by Congress in an unprecedented manner. Part C legislation was designed to establish an interagency, coordinated system of resources (including finance), supports and services, with financing attached to the legislation that reinforced this approach. Part C funds were uniquely designated to support the development and maintenance of a coordinated infrastructure and "to facilitate the coordination of payment for early intervention services from Federal, state, local and private sources (including public and private insurance coverage)." The financial crisis that faces state lead agencies today is the gap between Congressional intent and current reality. This paper summarizes the fiscal challenges that this legislation presents and proposes a framework for analyzing, adjusting, and maintaining a flexible and self-regulating finance system to support Part C early intervention services for infants and toddlers and their families. The framework design features four phases of work to help agencies understand the issues and make informed decisions for on-going development and support of a Part C finance system. (Contains 2 figures, 1 table, and 4 footnotes.) [This paper is based upon a presentation of the same name presented at the Office of Special Education Programs National Early Childhood Conference (Washington, DC, November 2003).]