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First Five Years Fund

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WEBINAR: Child Care and Early Learning Funding in 2026

January 15, 2026

Increased attention on child care and early learning this month means increased outreach from advocates is needed. This is a critical moment to remind lawmakers of the importance of child …

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TOOLKIT: Prioritize Child Care Programs

January 14, 2026

On The Hill: Increased attention on child care and early learning this month means increased outreach from advocates needed. This is a critical moment to remind lawmakers of the importance …

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JOINT STATEMENT: National Organizations on Federal Child Care Program

January 13, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is a federal state partnership that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families with young children to afford …

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UPDATE: 23 States Receive Grants To Strengthen Child Care

January 12, 2026

Good news for child care this week. Twenty-three states have been awarded new federal grants to strengthen their child care and early learning programs. The Preschool Development Grant Birth through …

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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five

January 10, 2026

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program is a $315 million competitive federal grant designed to improve collaboration and quality in states’ early childhood systems by building …

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Job Posting: Staff Assistant

December 17, 2025

Location Washington, D.C. (hybrid; remote work Monday and Friday; in-office work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) About First Five Years Fund At First Five Years Fund (FFYF), our mission is to ensure …

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A Year of Progress: 10 Bright Spots for Child Care & Early Learning

December 16, 2025

Even in a year marked by a government shutdown, political turbulence, and general unpredictability in Washington, 2025 gave us plenty to celebrate for child care and early learning. Families, advocates, …

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Cost Estimation Models: Increasing Child Care Stability Through More Accurate Provider Payment Rates

December 9, 2025

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 …

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The First Five Things to Know About: Employer-Provided Child Care Credit (45F)

December 2, 2025

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. …

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Hot Topic: PDG B-5 Grants, December 2025

November 25, 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 …

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TOOLKIT: FY26 Appropriations

November 18, 2025

The Ask  Congress: Please act quickly to provide increased stability for families, children, and programs by passing the Senate FY26 Labor-H appropriations bill that prioritizes funding for child care and early learning programs for a full year.  Step …

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Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs

November 18, 2025

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 …

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