CAPSULE COLLECTION: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five (PDG B-5)

In A Nutshell

Due to limited budgets and capacity, many states struggle to support the important activities – like data collection, research, infrastructure development, and other quality initiatives – that can make their child care and early learning programs operate more effectively. 

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program helps address these challenges by offering a unique source of funding that enables states to strengthen, align, and expand their early learning systems.

These competitive federal grants: 

• Help states improve quality and safety across child care programs.
• Improve state collaboration across multiple child care and early learning programs, systems, and agencies to identify what’s working, what’s not, and what to do about it.
• Assist states in collecting data, so they can make programs work more effectively and efficiently.

Funding for PDG B-5 is determined each year through the Appropriations process in Congress. 

Deeper Dive: Resources And Information

• Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) overview: This overview provides a deeper look at PDG B-5 – what it is, how it works, what it does. 
• The National PDG Map: This map highlights PDG B-5 funding for each state and how states have used it to help child care and early learning programs work more effectively. 
• The First Five Things to Know About PDG B-5: A deep dive into the program and how it helps make programs as effective and efficient as possible.
• The Impact of PDG B-5 Grants: State Progress and What’s at Risk: In the fall of 2025, the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) surveyed states about their recent experience with PDG B-5. Our full report and findings from NIEER’s survey are linked above.
• PDG B-5: Success Stories from the States: In 2026, 23 states were selected to receive PDG B-5 grants. Here’s how 10 of them are using this funding.
• Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five: This handy chart shows the PDG funding received by each state since the program began in 2018. 
• QUOTES: Governors show support for Federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 Funding: Republican and Democratic governors across the nation have expressed support for PDG B-5 funding and the impact it can have on child care programs. 
• Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2026: PDG B-5 receives federal funding through the annual appropriations process in Congress—here’s a quick look at the levels suggested for FY26. 
• STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Senate Markup of FY26 Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs: Senate Appropriators have suggested level funding for PDG B-5 for FY2026— check out FFYF’s statement from Executive Director Sarah Rittling. 

Actions

Funding for PDG B-5 is determined through the annual appropriations process in Congress. Contact your Member of Congress today and urge them to show support for the child care and early learning programs working families need.