For a child, the first five years last forever.
FEATURED PRIORITIES
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.
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.
FFYF’S Sarah Rittling Named to TIME Magazine’s First Ever Visionaries List
TIME named First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling to the inaugural TIME Visionaries list recognizing leaders driving meaningful impact in the lives of children across education, health and wellness, technology, economic opportunity, and more.
State Of Play: The Head Start NPRMs (Rules and Regulation Changes)
On August 6, 2026, the Administration released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Head Start.
The proposed rule is open for a 60-day public comment period, providing stakeholders the opportunity to review the proposal and submit feedback. (The 60-day comment period will end at midnight on October 6, 2026.)
FFYF 2026 Head Start State Fact Sheets
These state fact sheets have data that show the impact of Head Start in all 50 states, including funding, enrollment, unmet need, and the reach of local programs and partnerships.
Latest News
& Resources
Making News: The 2026 SEED ACT
The SEED Act continues to make headlines! The bipartisan Supporting Early-Childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act became law in September 2026, marking a key bipartisan victory for early childhood educators and …
HHS Announces New PDG B-5 SMART Grant Funding Opportunity
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for a round of PDG B–5 SMART Grants: Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology.
A Closer Look at HHS’s Head Start Comprehensive Services Data
Head Start is designed to support the whole child and the whole family, which is why comprehensive services are central to the model.
