News & Resources
FEATURED PRIORITES
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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FFYF Statement on Proposed Elimination of Head Start
Following the news that the proposed FY2026 budget would completely eliminate funding for Head Start, FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling released this statement: “Last night, a leaked memo from the …
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 …
ACF Awards Approximately $115 Million in Head Start funds to Serve About 5,000 More Children
Last week, the Administration for Children and Families announced $200 million in funds for early care and education – almost $87 million in new PDG B-5 awards and almost $115 …
Head Start Final Rule Makes Big Changes to Staff Compensation, Program Eligibility, and More
The Office of Head Start (OHS) published the final rule on August 21st, titled Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming, updating the Head Start Program Performance Standards. …
Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships: An Overview
Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCP) build on the existing strengths of Early Head Start and Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidies, which allow low-income families to access high-quality child care.
FFYF Submits Comments on 2023 Head Start NPRM
Last week, the First Five Years Fund (FFYF) submitted comments in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming, published by …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
FFYF Co-Hosts Congressional Briefing Highlighting Importance of Federal ECE Funding
On Thursday, First Five Years Fund (FFYF), together with the National Head Start Association (NHSA), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and Child Care Aware of …
Appropriations and Budget Reconciliation: Understanding Federal Early Learning & Care Funding Opportunities
Updated March 15, 2022 Each year, millions of low-income children from birth through age five benefit from the array of federal early learning and care programs, including the Child Care …
FY2022 Appropriations Omnibus Includes Increases for Existing Early Learning & Care Programs
Congressional leaders have unveiled a bipartisan FY2022 omnibus government spending package, which includes an increase in critical funding for the core federal early learning and care programs. Each year, millions …
Advocates Call for Increased FY2022 Appropriations for Early Learning and Care Programs
This week, FFYF and other national early care and education advocacy organizations sent a letter calling on Congress to provide increased funding for federal early learning and care programs, including the Child …
