Montana
Working families in Montana need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Montana. But too many working families in Montana are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Montana economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
In the state, 64% of children have all available parents participating in the workforce, while the average cost of care is $15,080 a year (or $1,257 per month).
More than 2,000 children ages 5 and under have child care costs subsidized through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), or 14% of those eligible. The average copay with a CCDBG subsidy is $318 a month.
3.7K children receive care, learning, nutrition, and other services at no cost through Early Head Start/Head Start (or 22% of those eligible for Early Head Start and 49% of those eligible for Head Start).
And 17.3K working families have the cost of their child care offset through the Child + Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC).
However, many working parents still struggle to access affordable, quality child care, which costs the state’s economy an estimated $516 million each year in lost earnings and productivity.
Montana: In The Headlines
Child care costs in Bozeman far exceed affordability guidelines, data show
KBZK | jANUARY 27, 2026
Families need $250K income for $1,500 monthly childcare to be considered affordable under federal standards.
Opinion: To grow Montana’s economy, we must invest in child care
The Independent Record | jUNE 10, 2025
If you ask working parents in Montana what their biggest challenge is, they’ll usually tell you the same thing: it’s the increasing difficulty they face in finding child care that doesn’t cost them an arm and a leg.
Head Start returning to the Crow Tribe to support young children
KULR | September 30, 2025
“The Head Start program will once again provide essential early education, transportation, health, nutrition, and other vital support services to children and families—services the Crow Tribe has gone without for more than six years.”
Montana Resources & News
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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
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ANALYSIS: FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets
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How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning
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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
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2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
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New Polling on Child Care and the 2024 Election
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New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
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How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
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New Resource Highlights Innovations to Strengthen ECE Facility Infrastructure
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a report, From the Ground Up: Improving Child Care and Early Learning Facilities, that demonstrates the ways states, localities, and tribes can invest …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
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The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Voter Support For Child Care Funding
In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining voter attitudes toward the issue of child care and early childhood education …
The First Five Things To Know About: A New Poll Showing Montana Voter Support For Child Care Funding
In July 2023, Public Opinion Strategies completed a poll on behalf of the First Five Years Fund, examining Montana voters’ attitudes toward the issue of child care and early childhood …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
Analysis: Majority of Governors Highlight Child Care As Key to Workforce Growth
Analysis of 2023 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found one issue in particular cut across state and party lines: the importance of fixing child …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Montana — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Montana — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Montana: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Montana: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
