A guide to grants for early childhood education and care, federal Head Start and child care programs, foundations, and state and local funding.
2025–2026 STATUS UPDATE: Head Start has faced significant disruption in 2025. In April 2025 ~50% of federal Office of Head Start staff was cut and all regional Head Start offices closed. The March 2025 funding bill cut $750M from Head Start. During the 2025 government shutdown, programs in 40+ states missed scheduled funding; sites in 17 states plus Puerto Rico were forced to close. Verify current status at ACF Office of Head Start.
Early childhood education is one of the most strategically funded fields in the country, with major federal programs, expansive state investment, and a deep foundation funder base.
TL;DR: Quick Answers
- Who funds early childhood? ACF (Head Start, CCDF), ED, state pre-K systems, foundations (Buffett, Pritzker, Gates, Heising-Simons), corporates.
- Who can apply? Head Start grantees, child care programs, school districts, nonprofits, family child care networks, tribal organizations.
- What gets funded? Direct services, workforce, quality improvement, research, advocacy, capital.
- What’s the biggest opportunity? Head Start, CCDF (state pass-through), and state pre-K funding.
Federal Funding
ACF Head Start and Early Head Start. Direct funding to grantees serving low-income young children and families. Highly competitive.
ACF Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). State-administered child care subsidy and quality funding.
ED for Preschool Development Grants, special education birth-to-five, and other early-learning programs.
HRSA Home Visiting (MIECHV) for evidence-based home visiting serving young families.
State and Local Funding
Most states have substantial pre-K systems with state and federal blended funding. Local public pre-K and city pre-K programs (Boston, NYC, DC, San Antonio, others) often re-grant to community providers.
Foundation Funders
- Buffett Early Childhood Fund.
- Pritzker Children’s Initiative.
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
- Heising-Simons Foundation.
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
- Bezos Family Foundation.
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
- Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- Community foundations with early childhood priorities.
What Gets Funded
- Direct services for young children and families.
- Workforce development for early educators.
- Quality improvement systems (QRIS).
- Family engagement.
- Mental health consultation in early settings.
- Special education and inclusion.
- Capacity and infrastructure, see capacity-building grants.
Tips for a Competitive Application
- Address quality and outcomes. Funders increasingly want measurable outcomes for children.
- Use evidence-based curricula. Cite the research base, see logic models.
- Center families. Family voice and engagement matter.
- Show coordination with the broader early-childhood system.
How Grantboost Helps
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Read next:
- ACF Grants: A Guide to Administration for Children and Families Funding
- Department of Education Grants
- HRSA Grants
Further Reading
- ACF Office of Head Start
- ED Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
- National Institute for Early Education Research
- Grants.gov (federal funding portal)
- Wikipedia: Head Start (program)
Disclaimer: Grant programs, eligibility rules, deadlines, and policies vary by region and change frequently. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current rules in your area. Always consult a local grant writer or qualified expert in your region for advice specific to your organization, project, and jurisdiction.