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Cost Estimation Models: Increasing Child Care Stability Through More Accurate Provider Payment Rates
Cost Estimation Models allow states to better align provider payment rates with the actual cost of providing quality child care. This strengthens the workforce, enhances the quality of care children …

The First Five Things to Know About: Employer-Provided Child Care Credit (45F)
In the United States, two-thirds of young children live in households where all available parents are working. meaning child care is essential for families’ ability to stay in the workforce. …

Hot Topic: PDG B-5 Grants, December 2025
UPDATE 11/25/25 The deadline for applications for Systems-Building Grants is swiftly approaching. A few notes: Last week, Start Early, BUILD, EducationCounsel, and the Alliance for Early Success hosted a webinar …

Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs
UPDATE: 11/18/25 Head Start programs around the nation are continuing to re-open, some more quickly than others. As of today, Head Start sites in 13 states plus Puerto Rico are …

FFYF’s Sarah Rubinfield on Early Childhood Chats Podcast
Government shutdowns disrupt the lives of families whose little ones rely on Head Start. FFYF Government Affairs Managing Director Sarah Rubinfield recently joined Early Childhood Chats from the Institute for …

JOINT STATEMENT: Groups Call on Congress to Protect Head Start, End the Shutdown
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Families with young children are feeling the pain of the federal shutdown, and without immediate Congressional action, tens of thousands of children could lose access to Head …

POLL: Strong Louisiana Support for Head Start Amid Federal Funding Uncertainty
As Head Start programs across Louisiana face financial hardship and closure due to the ongoing federal shutdown, new polling shows that Louisiana voters remain overwhelmingly supportive of the program and …

Polling Highlights: Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio Voters on Child Care Challenges, Workforce Impact, and Need for Action
In a new poll from First Five Years Fund and state child care organizations, voters in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Ohio say child care is a necessity for families and a …

POLLING: Rural Voters on Child Care and Head Start
In a new poll from First Five Years Fund, Rural Americans say money is tight, and child care is a significant part of that burden. The survey shows that the …

New Interactive Resource Reveals Staggering Data on the Child Care Gaps Across the United States
The Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, in collaboration with Child Care Aware of America and the Bipartisan Policy Center, recently released an interactive map resource that …

Head Start Community and Champions Gather on Capitol Hill
On September 17, more than 200 members and staff from Head Start programs across the country gathered in the Rayburn House Office Building for a Stand for Head Start reception, …

First Five Things To Know About: The Child Care Modernization Act
Parents want child care options that meet their family’s unique needs and support their child’s healthy development. Yet today, far too many working families struggle to find and afford the …