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.
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First Five Things To Know About: The SEED Act
Early childhood educators play a critical role in supporting children’s development and enabling parents to work. To ensure young learners can succeed, many use their own money to buy necessary …
FFYF Letter to the Ways and Means Committee in Support of the SEED Act
FFYF sent the following letter in support of the Supporting Early-childhood Educators’ Deductions (SEED) Act to the Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith and Ranking Member Richard Neal. …
POLITICO: Child Care Costs Are Driving the Affordability Debate in 2026
How rising expenses are putting pressure on families and shaping policy discussions across party lines By: Sarah Rittling “Affordability” has become the defining economic theme of 2026. As families look …
FY2027: Community Letter to Appropriators Calls For increased Funding for Child Care and Early Learning
Signed by 87 organizations across 32 states, this letter outlines priorities for the FY27 Appropriations process.
Enrollment and Attendance Payment Models: Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG)
Overview: States have the flexibility to pay child care providers participating in subsidy programs based on either enrollment or attendance. With enrollment-based payment, providers receive a set amount for holding …
FFYF Hosts Bipartisan Child Care and Early Learning Briefing on Capitol Hill
FFYF was joined by providers, experts, and a bipartisan pair of Members of Congress in a briefing to highlight child care and early learning programs.
Head Start Program Core Elements
This document includes the five elements that are essential to the program’s integrity, as supported by national, regional, and state organizations around the country.
FY27 Early Learning and Child Care ‘Dear Colleague’ Letters
“Dear Colleague” letters are a key way for lawmakers to convey and generate support for child care and early learning programs.
FFYF Briefing Room: Safeguarding Access to Affordable Child Care
March 2, 2026 – The federal child care program has a long history of bipartisan support, with a proven track record in strengthening families, fostering child development, and fueling the …
New Report Outlines Current Challenges for Family Child Care Providers
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) recently released their 2025-2026 Annual Survey Report, which provides a national snapshot of the current conditions of family child care (FCC) providers. …
2026: ABCs of Federal Early Learning & Child Care Funding Streams
An overview of the top federal child care and early learning programs and how they are funded.
