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STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Senate Markup of FY26 Funding Levels for Child Care and Early Learning Programs
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act to establish proposed funding levels for child care and …

WEBINAR: Make the Most of August Recess
During August, Members of Congress return to their home states and districts for a scheduled recess to hear directly from the people they represent. This at home work period is …

FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Child Care Tax Enhancements in the Final Reconciliation Package
Final passage of the 2025 reconciliation bill contains updates to tax credits which will help make child care more affordable for more working families with young children including: The following …

APPROPRIATIONS: FY2026 Dear Colleague Letters
Each year, Members of Congress submit letters requesting robust funding for child care and early learning programs. Historically, letters requesting funding for child care have been bipartisan and incredibly popular. …

FY2026: Community Letter to Appropriators Calls For Robust Funding for Child Care and Early Learning
WASHINGTON – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) and a coalition of 146 major early education advocacy organizations from 36 states have a new letter to Congressional appropriators calling for …

Webinar: How we can help protect and prioritize funding for child care
This week, FFYF, Child Care Aware of America, NAEYC, and the National Head Start Association hosted an inside look at the Congressional Appropriations process, which funds our nation’s main child …

FFYF Hosts Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The First Five Years Fund (FFYF) hosted Congressional staff for its annual bipartisan “ABCs of Federal Child Care and Early Learning” briefing. The session focused on the …

Statement: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on Initial White House Budget Request for FY26
This morning, the White House released a letter providing President Trump’s recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Also known as the “skinny budget,” the letter contains …

New Poll: Support for Head Start
Quality care is crucial for a child’s development. Early learning programs help build the skills kids need to succeed in school and in life. And when parents know their children …

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 …

Statement: Passage of Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON – Today, Congress passed a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded until September 30, 2025, including a temporary extension of critical funding for the core …

New Poll: GOP Voters Call on Congress, White House to Act on Child Care
In the 2024 election, voters made it clear that child care challenges were causing a serious strain on family finances, workplace productivity, and the economy as a whole. They want …