Federal Grant Award Summary

The Department of Early Care & Learning Georgia (operating as Bright From The Start) received a formula grant award of $78.3 million from the Office of Child Care under the Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund (CFDA 93.596). The award, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027, supports the state's provision of child care services and early childhood education programs designed to improve affordability and quality for low-income families across Georgia. As the designated state lead agency, Bright From The Start administers these mandatory and matching funds to subsidize child care costs, enhance service quality, and promote child development outcomes throughout the state.

Under this program, the agency delivers comprehensive early childhood services through direct subsidies to eligible families, workforce development initiatives for child care providers, and quality improvement programs. Bright From The Start distributes sub-awards to partner organizations including Albany State University, Maximus Human Services Inc., and Quality Care For Children Inc. to implement targeted initiatives such as summer transition learning programs and farm-to-school efforts. The agency also coordinates technical assistance across local school districts, nonprofits, and day care providers to ensure compliance with federal requirements and advance early childhood development goals in accordance with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act.