Appropriations
Overview
Child care is expensive, and there’s a massive difference between what providers need to charge to keep doors open and what parents can afford. Each year, Congress allocates federal funding which serves as the foundation for early learning and child care programs in all 50 states.
This funding increases child care and early learning options for parents and families through a variety of federal programs, including: CCDBG, Head Start and Early Head Start, PDG B-5, and more. These programs benefit families, businesses, and local economies in all 50 states. Stable federal funding is essential to keeping child care services strong while helping more parents afford the care they need to go to work.
While federal investments for early learning and care have garnered strong bipartisan support for years, current federal investments only reach a fraction of income-eligible families. Congress must continue to support working families by protecting and prioritizing federal funding for early learning and child care programs.
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Resources
Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2026
Each year, Congress determines funding levels for all of the federal defense and non-defense discretionary programs, including those that support the care and education of children from birth through age …
FFYF Capsule Collection: Appropriations and Child Care
What Are Appropriations? In A Nutshell Even with growing support from states, businesses and philanthropy, federal funding makes up the majority of investment in child care and early learning in …
2025: ABCs of Federal Early Learning and Child Care Funding Streams
Every year, millions of children who range in age from birth through five benefit from an array of federal early learning and care programs. While there are different early learning …
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Statement: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Initial White House Budget Request for FY26
This morning, the White House released a letter providing President Trump’s recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Also known as the “skinny budget,” the letter contains …
Child Care Funding Letters Draw Record Number of Inaugural Signers
Each year, Members of Congress submit letters requesting robust funding for child care and early learning programs. Historically, letters requesting funding for child care have been bipartisan and incredibly popular. …
