TOOLKIT: FY27 Appropriations

The Ask 

Congress: Please sign on to “Dear Colleague” letters to show your support for early learning and child care funding. These letters help build momentum for programs like Head Start, CCDBG, and PDG B-5. Sign on here.

Step 1: Get The Facts 

On November 12, Congress ended the federal shutdown by passing a Continuing Resolution to fund the government through January 30. They have until then to pass full-year spending bills for FFor families around the country, money feels tight, and the cost of daily life has become harder to manage. This “affordability anxiety” is especially high for parents of young children, where child care consistently stands out as one of the most significant and unavoidable expenses. With average annual costs exceeding $13,000 per child, child care puts real pressure on family budgets and can determine whether parents are able to work, pay their bills, and remain economically stable.

Congress can help address this by prioritizing federal child care and early learning programs. Programs like Early Head Start/Head Start, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), and Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five (PDG B-5) help families find and afford quality care while supporting children’s early development and helping parents stay in the workforce.

Each year, Congress decides how much funding to provide for federal programs through a process called appropriations. This is the annual process lawmakers use to set funding levels for programs across the federal government, including child care and early learning.

As Congress begins the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations process, Members of Congress are circulating “Dear Colleague” letters to show support for funding these programs. These letters allow lawmakers to signal to the Appropriations Committees that strong investments in child care and early learning are a priority.

Here’s why this matters: The more Members of Congress who sign on to these letters, the stronger the message to appropriators that their colleagues support investing in child care and early learning. Broad support builds momentum and strengthens the case for robust funding in the final spending bills.

Step 2: Take Action 

Use the tools on the FFYF Action Center to email, call, or use social media to contact your member of Congress and urge them to sign on to these letters showing support for child care and families! 

For Example:  

@chriscoons: Please sign on to Dear Colleague letters prioritizing early learning and child care funding including Head Start and Early Head Start, CCDBG, and PDG B-5. https://bit.ly/4u8tQo6

Right click and save the image below to share on social

Step 3: Spread The Word 

Congressional offices receive hundreds of messages from constituents every single day, so to be effective, we need as many voices as possible. Please ask partners, followers, network members and others and urge them to take action too!  

Reach out to your people through newsletters, webinars, and meetings. Right click and share the QR code below in your newsletters, meeting slides, or over email to spread the word!