News & Resources
FEATURED PRIORITIES
Appropriations FY2027
For FY2027, Congress should protect, prioritize, and expand these investments in programs including the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), Early Head Start/Head Start, and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5).
Child Care is an Affordability Issue
“Affordability anxiety” is particularly high for parents of young children, where child care consistently stands out as one of the most significant and unavoidable expenses.
Modernizing Child Care
Modernizing the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is essential to ensuring more working families can access the quality, affordable child care care they need.
2026 Early Head Start and Head Start
Head Start has a long history of giving kids a strong start through comprehensive early learning, health, and nutrition services. We are focused on continuing to bolster overall support for this essential program at the federal level.
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STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Proposed FY27 House Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs
On June 4th, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee released its FY2027 funding proposal, including federal investments in child care and early learning …
Statement: House Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Child Care Modernization Act to Strengthen Child Care Options for Working Families
Representatives Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) today introduced the Child Care Modernization Act.
First Five Things To Know About: The Child Care Modernization Act
Parents need 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 …
Funding for Key Early Learning Programs, FY2027
A chart explaining the funding timeline of FY27 funding decisions from the White House and Congress.
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.
FFYF Capsule Collection: Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriations
A one-stop-shop collection of the top facts, resources, and data around the FY27 Appropriations process.
The Friday Five: The Latest Child Care and Early Learning News
The child care and early learning news you don’t want to miss. Check here for updates every Friday for the latest information you need to know.
FFYF Statement on H.R.7726: Concerns and Recommendations around Accountability and Access
First Five Years Fund appreciates Congressional efforts to build upon the current oversight structures in CCDF to help ensure these funds are used as intended to support working families with young children. However, FFYF has significant concerns with H.R. 7726, the “Stop Child Care Scams Act of 2026.”
Federal TANF Expenditures in FY 2024
TANF provides grants to states to help design and operate programs that support low-income families, including through increased access to child care and early learning opportunities, which helps parents to enter or return to the workforce.
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.
