Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5)
Due to limited budgets and capacity, many states struggle to support important activities like data collection, research, infrastructure development, and other quality initiatives that ensure child care and early learning programs operate effectively.
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program helps address these challenges by offering a unique source of funding that enables states to strengthen, align, and expand their early learning systems.
This critical funding helps families with young children access a wider range of affordable, high-quality child care options that can help set them on a strong path for success.
These competitive federal grants:
- Assist states in collecting data, so they can make programs work more effectively and efficiently.
- Help states improve quality and safety across child care programs.
- Improve state collaboration across multiple child care and early learning programs, systems, and agencies to identify what’s working, what’s not, and what to do about it.
Current
Status
Current Funding Level: PDG B-5 is funded at $315 million for FY2026.
Right now, Members are sending “Dear Colleague” letters to rally support for child care and early learning programs including PDG B-5. When more Members of Congress sign on to these “Dear Colleague” letters, it strengthens the case for child care funding and support. And that keeps child care within reach for more working families with young children.
Essential
Reading
Media
Ohio receives federal child care grant as sector continues to search for funding answers
Ohio Capital Journal | February 19, 2026
Ivey announces $3.8M grant to strengthen Alabama’s Early Childhood Education System
WSFA | January 21, 2026
$14.7 million grant to address Oklahoma’s child care crisis
KFOR | January 20, 2026
