First Five Years Fund
Posts
Understanding Improper Payments: Child Care and Development Fund
Fundamental to understanding this system is recognizing that while all fraudulent payments are considered improper, not all improper payments result from fraud.
State Data: Child Care Ratios – Adult-to-Child Ratios for Center-Based Care
Caring for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is labor-intensive. To keep children safe and give them the attention they need to learn and thrive, child care programs must maintain appropriate adult-to-child ratios.
CAPSULE COLLECTION: Head Start
This one-stop-shop collection of the top facts, resources, and data around Head Start and Early Head Start.
TOOLKIT: CCDBG Fact Sheets
MESSAGE: CCDBG helps working families with young children afford child care. FFYF’s new fact sheets have data and information on how CCDBG works in each state. Please help share these …
Toolkit: Child Care Tax Credits
The tools you need to highlight how child care tax credits help make care more accessible and affordable for families nationwide.
TOOLKIT: Address the Affordability Crisis by Supporting Child Care
Tools you can use highlight and share with your network why child care sits at the center of the affordability conversation.
TOOLKIT: FY27 Appropriations
Congress: Please sign on to “Dear Colleague” letters to show your support for early learning and child care funding. These letters build momentum for programs like Head Start, CCDBG, and PDG B-5
FY2027: Community Letter to Appropriators Calls For increased Funding for Child Care and Early Learning
Signed by 87 organizations across 32 states, this letter outlines priorities for the FY27 Appropriations process.
FFYF Briefing Room: Safeguarding Access to Affordable Child Care
March 2, 2026 – The federal child care program has a long history of bipartisan support, with a proven track record in strengthening families, fostering child development, and fueling the …
FFYF Recap: Senate HELP Committee Hearing
Restoring Integrity: Preventing Fraud in Child Care Assistance Programs OVERVIEW February 12, 2026 – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee convened a hearing focused on child care …
Democratic Quotes of Support for Head Start
Quotes from Democratic Members of Congress expressing support for Head Start and the impact it has on the communities they serve.
STATE OF PLAY: Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations
FINAL LOOK The FY26 Appropriations process was complicated by a series of continuing resolutions, rumors of a Head Start elimination, Congressional gridlock, and a 43-day government shutdown. In the end, …
