News & Resources
FEATURED PRIORITIES
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.
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.
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Head Start: Populations Served
Head Start’s mission goes beyond the classroom: it is designed to reach the children and families who need it most, which is why eligibility is intentionally built around those facing the greatest barriers to opportunity.
Head Start: Comprehensive Services
Head Start pairs high-quality early learning with comprehensive services that support a child’s health and development while helping families build stability and self-sufficiency from infancy through the start of kindergarten.
STATEMENT: FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling on Proposed Head Start Rule
This morning, the White House released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing changes to regulations governing the Head Start program.
State Of Play: The Head Start NPRMs (Rules and Regulation Changes)
As part of a “Child Care Reform Package” released on May 11, the Administration issued four separate policy actions: a Head Start Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Final Rule, a Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF) Information Memorandum, and a CCDF Dear Colleague Letter.
CAPSULE COLLECTION: Head Start
This one-stop-shop collection of the top facts, resources, and data around Head Start and Early Head Start.
Head Start Polling Highlights 2025-26
First Five Years Fund has a long track record of polling which consistently shows that Early Head Start and Head Start have strong support among Republican, Democratic, and Independent voters across the country.
Child Care Choices: An Overview of Early Learning and Care Settings
This resource provides a broad overview of the settings where children go while they are not in the care of their parent(s) or guardian(s) before they enter the traditional K-12 school system.
New Brookings Report: Child Care Costs Continue to Strain Family Budgets
A new report released by Brookings states that millions of families across the country are struggling to make ends meet due to the rising cost of child care.
Michigan: July 2026 Child Care Poll
New Michigan state polling from First Five Years Fund finds that voters overwhelmingly view child care as part of the affordability crisis and recognize that child care challenges are affecting the state’s workforce.
The Friday Five: The Latest Child Care and Early Learning News
The child care and early learning news you don’t want to miss. Check here for updates every Friday for the latest information you need to know.
2026 August Recess Advocacy Toolkit
This toolkit provides resources to help you plan your outreach, share your story, and reinforce why child care should remain a bipartisan priority.
