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Minnesota

Last Updated: December 13, 2024

Working families in Minnesota need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children. 

Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Minnesota. But too many working families in Minnesota are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Minnesota economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue. 

Facts about Minnesota
1

There are 410k children ages 5 and under in Minnesota – 74% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.

2

The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Minnesota is around $20,000.

3

The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 10% of eligible families. This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.

4

On average, child care providers in Minnesota earn just $31,580 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.

5

Minnesota’s economy loses $2.1B annually due to child care challenges.

 Minnesota: In The Headlines

Minnesota is one of the 10 most expensive states for infant care, study finds

KMSP | oCTOBER 28, 2024

According to a study done by Bankrate, Minnesota is one of the 10 states where families spend the highest percentage of their income on infant care.

Opinion: Economic growth can’t happen in Minnesota without sustainable child care

Duluth News Tribune | December 5, 2024

A lack of child care is having a direct impact on the economic well-being of all Minnesotans.

Is child care in Minnesota unaffordable for many state residents?

Barron’s | dECEMBER 13, 2024

Child care centers in Minnesota are unaffordable for many state residents. The benchmark for child care affordability set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is 7% of annual household income.

Minnesota Resources & News

Resource

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 …

Resource

2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets

July 16, 2024

FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …

Resource

2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets

May 29, 2024

First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …

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New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements

February 22, 2024

Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …

Resource

Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022

February 8, 2024

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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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

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New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program 

May 11, 2023

New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …

Resource

How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State

May 9, 2023

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. The majority …

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FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets

August 2, 2022

Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …

Resource

Minnesota — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 29, 2022

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State

June 22, 2022

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …

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2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding

August 3, 2021

FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …

Resource

Minnesota — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2021

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

New Report Offers Additional Data on Pandemic’s Impact for Child Care

October 6, 2020

Last week, Child Care Aware of America released a new report, Picking Up the Pieces: Building a Better Child Care System Post-COVID-19. The report outlines the pandemic’s impact on child …

News

FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes

September 16, 2020

This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …

Resource

Minnesota: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2020

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Governors Across the Country Celebrate Federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 Funding

March 2, 2020

The Preschool Development Grant Birth through 5 (PDG B-5) is a $275 million competitive federal grant program designed to improve states’ early childhood systems by building upon existing federal, state, …

News

Preschool Development Grant Funding Awarded to 26 States for 2020

December 20, 2019

UPDATE: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional three-year renewal grants are being awarded to South Carolina, Nebraska, and …

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Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States

September 16, 2019

On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state.  As in previous years, CAP’s …

Resource

See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care

June 14, 2019

Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …

Resource

Minnesota: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants

January 4, 2019

Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …

Resource

Strengthening the Quality of Care Nationwide with Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships

October 11, 2018

Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grants aim to incorporate the strengths of Early Head Start into other child care opportunities in order to expand access to high-quality …

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