Ccdd-2026 - child care and development block grant discretionary

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded the Florida Department of Education $1.524 billion on October 1, 2025, under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Discretionary program (CFDA 93.575) for the period October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. The funding supports child care subsidies and quality improvements for children in Florida delivered through sub-awards to early learning coalitions and partner organizations across the state.

Florida Department of Education serves as the designated state lead agency, administering the block grant allocation to expand access to child care for low-income families and enhance the quality of child care services. The Child Care and Development Fund provides vouchers and certificates to eligible families while supporting quality improvement activities for both subsidized and unsubsidized child care.

As of July 1, 2026, the recipient passed through funding to 34 sub-recipients delivering direct services. These sub-recipients include early learning coalitions serving Osceola, Orange, St. Lucie, Southwest Florida, North Florida, Okaloosa and Walton, Pinellas, the Nature Coast, Seminole, Pasco and Hernando, Manatee, Sarasota, Palm Beach, Lake, Northwest Florida, Marion, Florida's Heartland, Miami-Dade and Monroe, Indian River/Martin/Okeechobee, Florida's Gateway, Broward, Hillsborough, Brevard, the Big Bend Region, Flagler and Volusia, Alachua, Escambia, and Duval counties. Sub-recipients also include the University of South Florida (delivering HIPPY early literacy services), Children's Forum (providing accreditation management and education support), Redlands Christian Migrant Association (serving migrant farmworker families), Santa Rosa County School Readiness Coalition, and Orange County School Readiness Coalition. Sub-recipients deliver subsidized child care services, school readiness programs, preschool instruction, provider training and professional development, quality rating system implementation, developmental screenings, family engagement services, and technical assistance to child care providers and families throughout Florida.