FY2 6 Funding for CCDBG offers important increase amidst challenging times for children and families - Rachel Wilensky - February 2026

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake

FY2 6 funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) increases federal support amid difficult conditions for children and families. Congress passed an amendment funding federal programs for a full year and President Trump signed it into law, adding $85 million to CCDBG. The text highlights that CCDBG assistance reached only 15 percent of eligible children in 2021, that increases have not kept up with inflation, and that proposed cuts to other programs may further harm childcare providers and families.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

Legislative update and funding increase

CCDBG impact and need

Budget pressure and inflation gap

State allocation table (GY2026 vs. GY2025)

FY2 6 Funding for CCDBG offers important increase amidst challenging times for children and families Rachel Wilensky | February 2026 On February 3, 2026, Congress passed an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, funding all federal programs with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security for a full year. President Trump subsequently signed the bill into law. The law offers small increases for many nondefense discretionary programs, including an additional $85 million for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). This increase was incredibly important, given the challenging fiscal environment states will face due to the cuts made to vital public benefit programs in H. R. 1. CCDBG is a critical support for families with low incomes who, without access to assistance, would likely be unable to afford their current child care arrangements. However, due to limited federal funding, child care assistance funded through CCDBG and other federal sources only reached 15 percent of eligible children in 2021, the most recent year that data is available. 1 The annual appropriations process is an important opportunity to increase federal investments in programs that respond to greater need and ensure funding keeps up with rising inflation. As concerns about economic recovery, unemployment, and inflation persist, significant and sustained increases in annual discretionary funding remain a critical support. And, given the fragile nature of the child care sector caused in part by decades of insufficient federal funding, the need for longterm and sustainable increases for child care remains ever present. Furthermore, recent actions by the administration to freeze or delay funding for child care and threaten programs like Head Start, which are a vital part of the child care and early education ecosystem, make this moment particularly volatile.2 Additionally, this $85 million increase for CCDBG does not keep pace with inflation, falling over $160 million short of what’s necessary to ensure there are enough resources to serve all children currently accessing care through CCDBG.3 This comes ontop of stagnant funding in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Ultimately, this means that states will not be able to sustain their current costs, which may result in serving fewer children. Moreover, Congress’s massive cuts to food assistance, Medicaid, and other vital programs to pay for harsh immigration policies and offer tax cuts for billionaires and corporations will continue to harm children, families, and child care providers. These are, in many cases, the very same families impacted across numerous programs. As Congress engages in the FY27 appropriations process, it is essential that they protect programs families rely on and fight for investments that align with need, like urgent investments in child care.4 The following table provides each state’s estimated distribution of grant year (GY) 2026 annual discretionary funds.5 For questions, please contact Rachel Wilensky at [rwilensky@clasp.org](rwilensky@clasp.org). | State
Estimates of GY2026 Discretionary Allocations6
GY2025 Discretionary Allocations
Estimated Increase from GY2025 to GY 2026 | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Alabama | $172,877,730 | $171,213,823 | $1,663,907 | | Alaska | $15,503,527 | $15,354,309 | $149,218 | | Arizona | $181,205,597 | $179,461,536 | $1,744,061 | | Arkansas | $102,172,155 | $101,188,772 | $983,383 | | California | $744,676,980 | $737,509,641 | $7,167,339 | | Colorado | $92,557,430 | $91,666,587 | $890,843 | | Connecticut | $64,045,803 | $63,429,377 | $616,426 | | Delaware | $23,822,438 | $23,593,153 | $229,285 | | District of Columbia | $13,539,118 | $13,408,807 | $130,311 | | Florida | $537,802,845 | $532,626,620 | $5,176,225 | | Georgia | $337,176,144 | $333,930,904 | $3,245,240 | | Hawaii | $29,104,960 | $28,824,832 | $280,128 | | Idaho | $45,307,035 | $44,870,966 | $436,069 | | Illinois | $270,465,225 | $267,86

FAQs

What funding change was made for CCDBG in early 2026?

An amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 funded federal programs for a full year and included an additional $85 million for CCDBG.

Why does the document argue CCDBG support is urgent for families?

It states CCDBG is critical for low-income families and that, due to limited funding, CCDBG and other federal sources reached only 15 percent of eligible children in 2021.

Does the $85 million increase keep pace with inflation, and what could happen if funding is insufficient?

No. The increase is described as more than $160 million short of what is needed to serve all children currently accessing care through CCDBG. This may prevent states from sustaining current costs and could lead to serving fewer children.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jake