Child Care & Development Block Grant
Overview
Child care is a necessity for working parents, yet the cost of quality care often places it out of reach for many families.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provides federal funding to states for child care subsidies for low-income families with children under age 13.
Additionally, CCDBG allows for flexibility to match state and federal funds to improve the overall quality of child care within existing state and local systems.
Current Funding Level: CCDBG is funded at $8.83 billion for FY2026. Combined with the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) annual mandatory funding of $3.55 billion, total Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) funding is $12.38 billion.
Top News and
Resources
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 …
Capsule Collection: Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
What is CCDBG? The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is a federal program that helps parents with low incomes afford child care while they work or attend school. …
CCDBG: Overview
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act provides federal funding to states for child care subsidies for low-income families with children under age 13.
Enrollment and Attendance Payment Models: Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
Overview: States have the flexibility to pay child care providers participating in subsidy programs based oneither enrollment or attendance. With enrollment-based payment, providers receive a set amount for holding a …
FFYF Hosts Bipartisan Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF), in conjunction with the Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, hosted congressional staff for its annual “ABCs of Federal Early Learning …
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 …
What You Can Do
about CcDBG
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact our policy team directly at mail@ffyf.org for more info.
