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Statement: FFYF on the Committee Passage of the Small Business Child Care Investment Act

February 11, 2025

Today, First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship passed Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jackie Rosen’s …

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Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning

January 31, 2025

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …

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A Story Of Momentum: The Achievements Fueling Our Work in 2025

January 8, 2025

2025 is officially here! And we are ready to get to work for families and our nation’s youngest learners.Before diving into the exciting work ahead, we want to take a …

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STATEMENT: FFYF’s Sarah Rittling on $500M in Disaster Relief for Child Care

December 20, 2024

Friday night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to avert a government shutdown and provide emergency aid. The Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act would keep …

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2024: ABCS of Federal Early Learning and Child Care Funding Streams

November 22, 2024

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 …

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NEW REPORT: The Positive Impact of Public Investment on Child Care and Beyond

November 19, 2024

The Center for American Progress (CAP) recently released a report on the impact of relief funding on early care and education programs and highlighted the importance of these investments. Pandemic-Era …

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Reauthorization: The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)

October 31, 2024

Reauthorization is an important process that gives Congress the opportunity to revise, adapt, or enhance federal programs to better meet changing needs. While the early learning landscape and needs of …

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ACF Awards Approximately $115 Million in Head Start funds to Serve About 5,000 More Children

October 22, 2024

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 …

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10 States and DC Receive New Round of PDG B-5 Grants

October 21, 2024

In September, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced the latest round of Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) grantees. Ten states and Washington, DC received 3-year …

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White House Convening on Child Care

October 11, 2024

On September 27, First Five Years Fund (FFYF) attended the White House States Convening on Child Care, joining leaders from 34 states across the country as well as key stakeholders …

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Side-By-Side: Comparison of the Child Care & Development Block Grant Reauthorization Act of 2024 to Current Law

October 7, 2024

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. It plays …

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Survey Finds States Make Difficult Trade-offs When Pandemic-Era Child Care Funding Runs Out

September 26, 2024

The bulk of child care relief funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expired last September, and the remaining $15 billion is set to expire next week. This funding …

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