News & Resources
FEATURED PRIORITES
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.
Posts
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The First Five Questions For: Caitlin Codella and Liat Krawczyk
In this month’s FFYF’s First Five Questions series – which brings together interesting leaders, experts, and voices together to talk about child care challenges and solutions – Executive Director Sarah …
FFYF Statement on the Passing of Rasheed Malik
Our hearts are heavy upon receiving the news of the passing of Rasheed Malik. As an unmatched researcher and policy expert, Rasheed leaves an enduring legacy as a steadfast champion …
FFYF & Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus Host “Child Care Means Business” Event
On June 4th, First Five Years Fund, in conjunction with the Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, hosted lawmakers, bipartisan Congressional staffers, and early learning advocates for a “Child Care …
The First Five Things to Know: The Child Care and Development Block Grant
Millions of families need child care in order to work, but many simply can’t afford it. This leads to parents having to reduce the number of hours they work or …
The First Five Questions For: Polling Experts Jay Campbell and Lori Weigel
In this month’s FFYF’s First Five Questions series – which brings together interesting leaders, experts, and voices together to talk about child care challenges and solutions – Executive Director Sarah …
New Polling on Child Care and the 2024 Election
A new poll conducted on behalf of First Five Years Fund by the bipartisan research team of New Bridge Strategies (R) and Hart Research (D) found that, in this election …
How we’re celebrating Mother’s Day and Provider Appreciation Day
This weekend is both Mother’s Day AND Provider Appreciation Day so now is the time to recognize the important work of both moms and the early educators and providers they …
New Grant Opportunities for Supporting Kindergarten Transitions
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced two new grant opportunities that include invitational priorities to support transitions to kindergarten: The Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) and The Comprehensive …
New ACF Guidance on CCDF Waivers
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) recently released guidance on the 2024 CCDF Final Rule Transitional Waivers. In March 2024, ACF finalized a new rule that will strengthen key …
U.S. Treasury Convening Highlights Financial Challenges and Opportunities for Child Care Providers
On Tuesday, April 30th the White House hosted a convening with the U.S. Department of the Treasury to discuss potential solutions to alleviate the operational and financial challenges of running …
NIEER’s Annual Report Shows Uneven Progress for State Preschool
The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) recently released the 2023 State of the Preschool Yearbook, their annual report detailing state preschool policies. This edition provides comprehensive data on …
