Hawai’i
Working families in Hawai’i need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Hawaii. But too many working families in Hawai’i are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Hawai’i economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 100K children ages 5 and under in Hawai’i – 62% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Hawai’i is around $22,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 17% of eligible families in Hawai’i. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Hawai’i earn just $36,070 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Hawaii’s economy loses $476M annually due to child care challenges
Hawai’i: In The Headlines
Hawai’i’s childcare workforce crisis impacts families, economy
KHON | February 10, 2026
Hawai‘i’s early childhood workforce crisis is reaching a breaking point, with far-reaching consequences for families and the state’s economy.
Early Learning Sites Could Close Soon In Hawaiʻi Amid Federal Funding Chaos
Honolulu Civil Beat | January 30, 2026
Providers are preparing for the possibility of closing down dozens of early learning sites across the state as uncertainty swirls around federal funding and the expiration of grants.
New data reveals Hawaiʻi’s shocking child care costs
KHON | August 18, 2025
Child care costs remained amongst the highest in the nation. In 2024, the average annual cost for an infant in a Hawai‘i child-care center was $24,115.
Hawai’i Resources & News
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UPDATE: 23 States Receive Grants To Strengthen Child Care
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Through the Years: Preschool Development Grants Birth Through Five
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ANALYSIS: FFYF’s 2025 State Fact Sheets
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FFYF Analysis of 2025 State of the State Addresses
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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning
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2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …
2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
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New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
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FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
Analysis of 2024 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found that child care, early learning, and early childhood received substantial attention across state and party …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
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How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
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 …
Hawaii — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
Governors Highlight Child Care As Key To Helping States Recover And Grow
For years, Democratic and Republican governors alike have prioritized early learning and care as a smart investment for their states. It’s no surprise, then, that as America faces an ever-worsening child care …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Hawaii — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Hawaii: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Hawaii: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
