Federal Grant Award Summary

The Department of Social Services California received a Formula Grant award of $259.7 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Child Care under the Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF, CFDA 93.596). The award, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027, supports child care services for low-income families across California. As the designated lead agency, the Department of Social Services administers these mandatory and matching funds to help eligible families access affordable child care while working or pursuing education and training, and to improve the quality of child care services statewide.

The funding enables California to subsidize child care costs for low-income families and enhance early childhood education quality across the state's 58 counties. The Department of Social Services distributes the federal awards to county-level social services agencies, nonprofit organizations, community-based service providers, and local educational agencies. Consistent with CCDF program requirements, the state must maintain a three-year plan that includes assurances of compliance with the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act, establishment of sliding fee scales, certification of payment rates, and coordination with other federal, state, and local child care and early childhood development programs.