For a child, the first five years last forever.
FEATURED PRIORITIES
Appropriations FY2027
For FY2027, Congress should protect, prioritize, and expand these investments in programs including the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Early Head Start/Head Start, and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5).
Child Care is an Affordability Issue
“Affordability anxiety” is particularly high for parents of young children, where child care consistently stands out as one of the most significant and unavoidable expenses.
Modernizing Child Care
Modernizing the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is essential to ensuring more working families can access the quality, affordable child care care they need.
2026 Early Head Start and Head Start
Head Start has a long history of giving kids a strong start through comprehensive early learning, health, and nutrition services. We are focused on continuing to bolster overall support for this essential program at the federal level.
New National Child Care Poll
A new national survey finds that voters see child care as a key driver of the nation’s affordability challenges and believe policymakers should take action to make child care more accessible and affordable.
FFYF State Fact Sheets: Child Care and Early Learning, 2026
FFYF’s 2026 State Fact Sheets on child care and early learning provide state-by-state data for all 50 states and Washington, DC, showing how federal and state investments support families, young children, and local economies. They also highlight where significant gaps remain.
FFYF’S Sarah Rittling Named to TIME Magazine’s First Ever Visionaries List
TIME named First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling to the inaugural TIME Visionaries list recognizing leaders driving meaningful impact in the lives of children across education, health and wellness, technology, economic opportunity, and more.
Latest News
& Resources
New National Child Care Poll
A new national survey finds that voters see child care as a key driver of the nation’s affordability challenges and believe policymakers should take action to make child care more …
The Friday Five: The Latest Child Care and Early Learning News
The child care and early learning news you don’t want to miss. Check here for updates every Friday for the latest information you need to know.
Capitol Hill Business Roundtable: Foundational Workers, Child Care, and the U.S. Economy
The First Five Years Fund, Moms First’s National Business Coalition for Child Care, and Etsy hosted a bipartisan roundtable discussion with more than a dozen business leaders from across the country.
