Federal Grant Award Summary

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) received a $51.8 million formula grant award from the Office of Child Care under the Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund (CFDA 93.596) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. This funding supports DCYF's administration of child care assistance programs designed to improve accessibility and affordability of quality child care services for low-income families across Washington State. The grant enables DCYF to serve as the designated lead agency responsible for developing and implementing the state's three-year Child Care and Development Fund plan, which includes establishing sliding fee scales, setting payment rates, and ensuring compliance with federal requirements under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act.

DCYF utilizes these mandatory and matching funds to deliver comprehensive child care services through a network of sub-awards to local governments, nonprofits, educational institutions, and tribal organizations throughout Washington State. Services supported by this funding include child care subsidies for eligible families, early learning navigator programs, child care resource and referral network administration, quality improvement initiatives, and child development support. The award requires DCYF to maintain accountability for fund utilization, conduct public hearings on the proposed plan, coordinate with other federal and state child care programs, and retain financial records for the required three-year period.