Budget & Appropriations
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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 …
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. …
FY2026: Community Letter to Appropriators Calls For Robust Funding for Child Care and Early Learning
WASHINGTON – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) and a coalition of 146 major early education advocacy organizations from 36 states have a new letter to Congressional appropriators calling for …
Webinar: How we can help protect and prioritize funding for child care
This week, FFYF, Child Care Aware of America, NAEYC, and the National Head Start Association hosted an inside look at the Congressional Appropriations process, which funds our nation’s main child …
FFYF Hosts Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) hosted Congressional staff for its annual bipartisan “ABCs of Federal Child Care and Early Learning” briefing. The session focused on the …
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 …
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 …
Statement: Passage of Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON – Today, Congress passed a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded until September 30, 2025, including a temporary extension of critical funding for the core …
How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
Two-thirds of all children ages five and under need some form of child care because all of the adults in their home are working. But child care remains both expensive …
Reauthorization: The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
Reauthorization is an important process that gives Congress the opportunity to revise, adapt, or enhance federal programs to better meet changing needs. While the early learning landscape and needs of …
10 States and DC Receive New Round of PDG B-5 Grants
In September, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced the latest round of Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) grantees. Ten states and Washington, DC received 3-year …
