American Indian and Alaska Native CCDF Administrators’ Resource Notebook--ARCHIVED

Last Reviewed Date
February 18, 2024

The American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Administrators’ Resource Notebook is a compilation of key resources related to the administration and implementation of the AI/AN CCDF program. It includes contact lists, regulations, program instructions, policy guidance, and technical assistance resources.

This online notebook is intended to be a useful and living resource. It will be updated regularly with new and revised materials. Dates are provided to help AI/AN CCDF Administrators determine whether they have the latest version of each resource.

If you are unsure whether you have the most up-to-date versions of the materials, please contact the Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center (TCBC) for assistance at [email protected] or 1-844-710-TCBC (8222).

Important Notice: Please Read before Using This Notebook

This web page was developed to provide key resources for those overseeing AI/AN CCDF programs. AI/AN CCDF Administrators and staff should always consult the regulations and current CCDF guidance for the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on the administration of AI/AN CCDF programs. When questions regarding policy arise, representatives of the Office of Child Care (OCC) regional offices should be consulted; policy determinations from the OCC supersede any information provided in this notebook.

Office of Child Care Fact Sheet (Added July 2018)
This web page includes a basic overview of OCC and the CCDF program.

Map of OCC Regions and AI/AN CCDF Grantees (Updated August 2019)
The OCC regional offices oversee and support the implementation of the CCDF program at a regional level by working with grantees in their geographical area. This map shows the 10 OCC Regions and the number of AI/AN CCDF grantees in each Region for fiscal year 2019.

Child Care and Development Fund Frequently Used Terms and Acronyms (Added July 2018)
This document was updated in 2018; it includes a list of key terms and a list of frequently used acronyms that are relevant to the CCDF program.

Child Care and Development Fund Reauthorization (Added December 2019)
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 reauthorized the law governing the CCDF program. In September 2016, OCC published rules to give states clarity on how to implement this law and administer the program in a way that best meets the needs of children, families, and child care providers.

Additional Resources on Administration and Implementation of the CCDF Program: New Administrators
To access additional resources on implementing and administering the CCDF program, including the AI/AN CCDF Guide for New Administrators, please visit the New Administrators’ topical page.

OCC Regional Program Managers (Added July 2018)
This web page provides contact information for the Regional Program Manager of each OCC regional office. The OCC regional offices oversee the programmatic and financial management of CCDF programs in each Region and provide guidance to those responsible for administering the CCDF program. OCC regional offices work directly with grantees to review CCDF Plans and amendments, answer programmatic questions, and facilitate and approve technical assistance requests.

OCC Regional Grants Management Officers (Updated December 2020)
This web page provides contact information for the OCC Regional Grants Management Officers. The OCC Regional Grants Management Officers ensure that the business and financial responsibilities of CCDF are carried out. They provide oversight, leadership, and technical guidance on a regional level related to grant operations and grants management.

Tribal CCDF Contacts by State (Added July 2018)
This document provides a listing of AI/AN CCDF grantees in each state, along with contact information. The list is updated on a monthly basis.

CCDF Grantee State and Territory Contacts (Added July 2018)
This web page provides a listing of the entities responsible for administering the CCDF program in each state and territory, along with contact information.

Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 (Added July 2018)
In November 2014, the CCDBG Act of 2014 was signed into law. The CCDBG Act, also known as “CCDF reauthorization,” reauthorized the CCDF program and introduced legal changes to strengthen the health, safety, and quality of child care and provide more stable child care assistance to families.

CCDF Final Rule (Added July 2018)
The CCDF final rule was published in September 2016 by the Office of Child Care. The 2016 CCDF final rule outlines the current regulations for implementing the CCDBG Act of 2014 and administering the CCDF program. For AI/AN CCDF grantees, OCC will determine compliance with these regulations through review and approval of the fiscal year 2020–2022 CCDF Plans that become effective October 1, 2019.

CCDF Final Rule Tribal Fact Sheet (Added July 2018)
This fact sheet was published in 2016; it provides an overview of how the 2016 CCDF final rule applies to AI/AN CCDF grantees.

CCDF Final Rule: Overview for American Indian and Alaska Native Grantees (Added December 2019)
The 2016 CCDF final rule outlines regulations for implementing the CCDBG Act of 2014. This resource provides an overview of CCDF final rule requirements as they apply to AI/AN CCDF grantees.

Additional Resources on Administration and Implementation of the CCDF Program: Leadership and Coordination ()
To access additional resources on implementing and administering the CCDF program, please visit the Leadership and Coordination topical page.

CCDF Indian Children Dual Eligibility: ACYF-PIQ-CC-97-01 (Added July 2018)
This policy interpretation question was published in 1997 to address questions regarding dual eligibility for AI/AN children. It confirms that an AI/AN child’s eligibility for an AI/AN CCDF program does not affect his or her eligibility for a state CCDF program.

Clarification of Interpretation of "Federal Public Benefit" Regarding CCDF Services: ACYF-PI-CC-98-08 (Added July 2018)
This program instruction was published in 1998 to provide guidance regarding the verification of citizenship and immigration status for the purposes of determining eligibility for CCDF. It clarifies that only the citizenship and immigration status of the child is relevant for CCDF eligibility purposes. It includes additional information regarding how these verification requirements apply.

Eligibility Determination for Head Start Collaboration: ACYF-PIQ-CC-99-02 (Added July 2018)
This policy interpretation question was published in 1999 to address questions regarding the length of CCDF eligibility for children in slots that are collaboratively funded with Head Start, Early Head Start, or prekindergarten.

Verification of Citizenship and Immigration Status by Non-Profit Organizations and Head Start Grantees: CCDF-ACF-PI-2008-01 (Added July 2018)
This program instruction was published in 2008; it clarifies previous policy guidance (see resource 4-2 above, ACYF-PI-CC-98-08) and responds to inquiries regarding verification of the citizenship and immigration status of CCDF applicants, specifically when nonprofit organizations determine eligibility for the CCDF program and when a child receives combined CCDF and Head Start services.

Helping Victims of Domestic Violence and Their Children: CCDF-ACF-IM-2010-02 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum published in 2010 provides information for Head Start and CCDF grantees regarding domestic violence. It specifies that Early Head Start, Head Start, and other early care and education programs should make every effort to assist families and children who are experiencing domestic violence, and provides resources and information for programs.

Policy Interpretation Question regarding Parental Choice Provisions Included in CCDF Regulations: CCDF-ACF-PIQ-2011-01 (Added July 2018)
This policy interpretation question was published in 2011; it clarifies that CCDF regulations do not preclude a Lead Agency from establishing policies that require child care providers serving subsidized children to meet certain quality requirements, provided that the Lead Agency does so in a manner consistent with the CCDF parental choice requirements.

Child Welfare and Child Care Partnerships: Partnering with Families Involved in Child Care Subsidy Programs (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2011; it provides information to CCDF grantees and state and local child welfare agencies to encourage partnerships across these agencies to better serve vulnerable children and families.

Early Childhood Education, Financial Stability, and Asset Building Strategies for Families with Young Children: CCDF-ACF-IM-2011-04 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2011; it provides information to Head Start programs and CCDF grantees about key strategies that can help families with low incomes and limited economic assets improve their financial stability.

Policies and Practices That Promote Continuity of Child Care Services and Enhance Subsidy Systems: CCDF-ACF-IM-2011-06 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2011; it provides guidance to encourage CCDF Lead Agencies to adopt policies that promote continuity of child care services for the benefit of children and families.

Policy Interpretation Questions about the Use of CCDF for Program Integrity Efforts: CCDF-ACF-PIQ-2012-01 (Added July 2018)
This policy interpretation question was published in 2012. It provides clarification regarding the use of CCDF funds for program integrity efforts, and how these expenditures should be included on financial reports.

Crib Standards Information Memorandum: CCDF-ACF-IM-2012-02 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum published in 2012 provides guidance regarding the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s standards for full-size and non-full-size cribs.

Children's Social-Emotional and Behavioral Health: CCDF-ACF-IM-2015-01 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum published in 2015 provides guidance to encourage Lead Agencies to adopt policies that promote the social-emotional and behavioral health of young children in partnership with families.

Developmental and Behavioral Screenings: CCDF-ACF-IM-2016-01 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2016 to encourage CCDF Lead Agencies to adopt policies to promote developmental screenings in child care programs.

Child Care Reauthorization and Opportunities for TANF and CCDF: CCDF-ACF-IM-2016-02 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2016 to provide key information on the reauthorization of CCDF and its implications and opportunities for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and CCDF.

Supporting Parents in Job Training and Education Programs with Child Care Assistance: CCDF-ACF-IM-2016-04 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2016. It provides guidance to Lead Agencies regarding ways to increase access to child care assistance and information so that low-income parents may further their education and training as a pathway to better wages and economic stability.

Clarification on the CCDBG Act Background Check Requirements and Health and Safety Training Requirements (CCDF- ACF-PIQ-2017-01) (Added July 2018)
This policy interpretation question published in 2017 provides clarification on the CCDBG Act background check requirements and health and safety training requirements.

Guidance on Alternative Approaches for Purposes of Conducting Background Checks of Child Care Staff and Monitoring and Inspection of Child Care Providers (CCDF-ACF-PI-2019-05) (Published December 2019)
This program instruction provides guidance on alternative approaches for conducting background checks on child care staff. It also offers guidance on monitoring and inspection of child care providers.

Statewide Disaster Plan (or Disaster Plan for a Tribe’s Service Area) for Child Care: CCDF-ACF-IM-2017-01 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2017; it provides guidance to CCDF Lead Agencies to assist with development and implementation of the statewide disaster plan or disaster plan for a tribe’s service area for child care.

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, PL 100-707, signed into law November 23, 1988; amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, PL 93-288 (Added July 2021)
This Act constitutes the statutory authority for most Federal disaster response activities especially as they pertain to FEMA and FEMA programs.

Flexibility in Spending CCDF Funds in Response to Federal or State Declared Emergency Situations: CCDF-ACF-IM-2017-02 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2017. It provides guidance regarding flexibility in spending CCDF funds in response to federal- or state-declared emergency situations.

Transmittal of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Assistance Guidance–Public Assistance for Child Care Services: CCDF-ACF-IM-2018-01 (Added July 2018)
This information memorandum was published in 2018. It provides guidance on the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) Public Assistance Program and Individuals and Households Program regarding reimbursement for child care services during federally declared major disasters and emergencies. It also provides guidance to CCDF grantees regarding certain reimbursable activities.

CCDF State-Tribal Coordination Requirements: CCDF-ACF-PIQ-2018-01 (Added March 2019)
This policy interpretation question was published in 2018. It responds to questions relating to how states and tribes need to coordinate to ensure that child care providers receiving CCDF funds meet the CCDF requirements.

Integrating Approaches that Prioritize and Enhance Father Engagement: ACF-ACF-IM-18-01 (Added March 2019)
This information memorandum was published in 2018. It encourages all human service agencies to work together across governments to jointly create and maintain an environment that prioritizes father engagement as a critical factor in strengthening families and adopt approaches to enhance paternal involvement in all family support and child welfare related programs

Increase in Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Discretionary Funds in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-141; CCDF-ACF-IM-2018-03) (Added March 2019)
This information memorandum was published in 2018. It provides an overview and guidance on the increased CCDF Discretionary funds made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018.

CCDF Policy Opportunities for Supporting Populations Impacted by Opioid Misuse and Substance Use Disorders: CCDF-ACF-IM-2019-01 (Added August 2019)
This information memorandum was published in 2019 to assist CCDF Lead Agencies with supporting the economic stability of families by enhancing access to child care and early learning services to support the development of vulnerable children, particularly in communities impacted by opioid misuse and substance use disorders.

Program Instruction on Supplemental Disaster Funds for Child Care (CCDF-ACF-PI-2020-01) (Updated April 2020)
This program instruction provides information to Lead Agencies (state, territory, and tribe) on the distribution of disaster relief funds. It also provides guidance on allowable activities, ways to apply, notices of federal interest, obligating and expending funds, reporting requirements, grantee monitoring, and other requirements.

CCDF Discretionary Funds Appropriated in the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136) passed into law on March 27, 2020 (CCDF-ACF-IM-2020-01) (Added April 2020)
This information memorandum was published in 2020 to provide Tribal Lead Agencies with an overview and guidance on the supplemental CCDF Discretionary funds made available through the CARES Act.

CCDF Discretionary Funds Appropriated in the CRRSA Act (Public Law 116-260), signed into law on December 27, 2020 (CCDF-ACF-IM-2021-01) (Added June 2021)
This information memorandum was published in 2021 to provide Tribal Lead Agencies with an overview and guidance on the supplemental CCDF discretionary funds made available through the CRRSA Act.

Planned Use of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA) Funds Report (CCDF-ACF-PI-2021-01) (Added June 2021)
This Program Instruction (PI) provides requirements and directions for submitting the Planned Use of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA) Funds Report.

ARP Act Child Care Stabilization Grants (CCDF-ACF-IM-2021-02) (Added June 2021)
This information memorandum was published in 2021 to provide Tribal Lead Agencies with an overview and guidance on the child care stabilization grants made available through the ARP Act.

ARP Act CCDF Discretionary Supplemental Funds (CCDF-ACF-IM-2021-03) (Added June 2021)
This information memorandum was published in 2021 to provide Tribal Lead Agencies with an overview and guidance on the supplemental CCDF Discretionary funds made available through the ARP Act.

To access additional resources on policy guidance and health and safety, please visit the following pages:






Electronic Submission of Real Property Standard Form (SF)-429 and Attachments: CCDF-ACF-PI-2017-06 (Added July 2018)
This program instruction was published in 2017; it provides guidance regarding the annual submission of the Real Property Standard Form (SF)-429 for grantees with property that was constructed or renovated in whole or in part with CCDF funds.

Fiscal Year 2020-2022 CCDF Plan and Plan Preprint for Tribes (CCDF-ACF-PI-2019-03) (Added December 2019)
This program instruction provides guidance for using the CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint (ACF-118-A) (Attachment A) to complete and submit the Tribal Lead Agency’s CCDF Plan for the CCDF program FY 2020–2022 triennial Section 658E of the CCDBG Act of 2014 relevant to tribes.

Procedures for Requests to Use CCDF Funds for Construction or Major Renovation of Child Care Facilities (CCDF-ACF-PI-2020-02) (Added June 2020)
This program instruction, published in May 2020, outlines uniform procedures for Tribal CCDF grantees to request and receive approval to use CCDF funds for construction or major renovations.

Policy Interpretation Question: ACYF-PIQ-CC-99-01 | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov)
This Policy Interpretation Question answers questions that have arisen concerning the program instruction.

Additional Resources on Construction and Major Renovation
To access additional resources on construction and major renovation, please visit the Construction and Major Renovation page

Fiscal Year 2020-2022 CCDF Plan and Plan Preprint: CCDF-ACF-PI-2019-03 (Updated August 2019)
This program instruction was published in 2019; it provides guidance for completing and submitting the CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020–2022 CCDF Plan cycle. It includes the FY 2020–2022 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint as an attachment.

Approval of Plan Amendments: CCDF-ACF-PI-2009-01 (Added July 2018)
This program instruction was published in 2009. It provides clarification regarding approval of amendments to CCDF Plans.

Process to Submit Child Count Declaration Form and Definition of Indian Reservation or Service Area: CCDF-ACF-PI-2019-02 (Added August 2019)
This program instruction was published in 2019 to inform Tribes and Tribal Organizations of the process to submit the triennial child count declaration form, and for direct funded Tribes to submit their definition of Indian Reservation or Service Area.

State Median Income Estimates FY 2019: LIHEAP IM 2019-02 (Updated August 2019)
This document provides state median income levels that can be used when determining and defining income requirements for CCDF eligibility. This data is updated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to inform Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) income-eligibility criteria, but may be used by other federal grantees as well.

Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines (Updated March 2019)
This document was published in February 2019; it provides the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ poverty guidelines for 2019 by family size.

Additional Resources on the FY 2020-2022 Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint Training
To access additional resources on the Tribal CCDF Plan, please visit the FY 2020-2022 Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint Training Resources page.

To access additional resources on fiscal management, please visit the following pages:






CCDF Tribal Funding Allocations (Added July 2018)
This web page provides the annual CCDF funding allocation for AI/AN CCDF grantees.

CCDF Terms and Conditions (Added July 2018)
This web page provides a link to the terms and conditions that CCDF grantees must comply with upon accepting CCDF funds.

Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for HHS Awards (Added July 2018)
These regulations outline the Office of Management and Budget‘s administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for federal awards from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The regulations were updated in 2016.

Applicability of Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements to CCDF: CCDF-ACF-PI-2015-01 (Added July 2018)
This program instruction was published in 2015 to inform CCDF Lead Agencies about the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards; it discusses the applicability of these requirements to CCDF.

CCDF-Specific Guidance to Transparency Act Requirements (Added July 2018)
The Office of Child Care developed this guidance in 2011 to provide CCDF grantees with information to assist them in meeting government-wide reporting requirements mandated by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act.

Additional Resources on Fiscal Management
To access additional resources on fiscal management, please visit the Fiscal Management topical page.

Reporting Overview Chart for Tribes (Added July 2018))
This chart was updated in 2016; it provides an overview of reporting requirements for AI/AN CCDF grantees, including the CCDF Plan (ACF-118a), the financial report (ACF-696T), and the Tribal Annual Report (ACF-700). It includes key information about each required report, including frequency, due dates, and submission method.

CCDF Reporting Clarifications for Tribally Operated Centers: Technical Bulletin #14r-v2 (Added July 2018))
This technical bulletin was revised in 2018. It clarifies reporting issues for AI/AN CCDF grantees that own and operate a child care center (tribally operated center) to deliver all or part of their child care services funded by CCDF.

Form ACF-696T—A Financial Reporting Form for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (CCDF-ACF-PI-2020-08) (Updated December 2020)
This program instruction was published in 2020. It provides guidance for completing the ACF-696T, which is the required annual financial report for AI/AN CCDF grantees. The ACF-696T reporting form is included as an attachment.

CCDF Annual Report for Tribal Lead Agencies Program Instruction (CCDF-ACF-PI-2020-06) (Updated October 2020)
This program instruction was published to inform Tribal Lead Agencies that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved changes to the annual reporting requirements (i.e., ACF-700 Report), consistent with the terms and conditions of the CCDF program.

CCDF Tribal Annual Report (ACF-700) Manual: Guide for CCDF Tribal Lead Agencies (Updated March 2020)
This guide was revised in 2020. It provides important information, guidance, and clarifications for AI/AN CCDF grantees regarding the CCDF Tribal Annual Report (ACF-700).

ACF-700 and Other CCDF Reporting Requirements: Frequently Asked Questions: Technical Bulletin #11r-v5 (Added July 2018)
This technical bulletin was revised in 2017 to clarify questions and issues related to reporting requirements for AI/AN CCDF grantees and to address changes to the CCDF Tribal Annual Report (ACF-700).

ACF-700 Clarifications: Technical Bulletin #12r-v2 (Added July 2018)
This technical bulletin was revised in 2017 to clarify issues related to ACF-700 reporting requirements and to address common questions from AI/AN CCDF grantees.

Child Care Data Tracker Users Guide and Supplemental Guides (Added July 2018)
This web page provides information regarding the Child Care Data Tracker, which is a tool designed to support AI/AN CCDF grantees with data collection, management, and analysis for the CCDF Tribal Annual Report (ACF-700). It also includes links to the Child Care Data Tracker User’s Guide and supplemental guides.

Child Care Data Tracker Clarifications: Technical Bulletin #13r-v3 (Added July 2018)
This technical bulletin was revised in 2017; it addresses questions related to using the Child Care Data Tracker software.

Request for Online Data Collection (OLDC) Access (Added August 2021)
This form allows CCDF Administrators to request a new Online Data Collection (OLDC) account or add additional permissions to an existing account.

Contact information for ACF Office of Grants Management Staff - Tribal (Added August 2021)
This web page provides contact information for the OCC Regional Grants Management Officers. The OCC Regional Grants Management Officers ensure that the business and financial responsibilities of CCDF are carried out. They provide oversight, leadership, and technical guidance related to grant operations and grants management on a regional level.

Instructions for Completion of Form ACF-696T Financial Reporting Form for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Tribal Grantees (Added August 2021)
This document provides Tribal Lead Agencies with instructions on completing their ACF-696T report. All Tribal grantees are required to complete and submit this report on an annual basis.

Additional Resources on Data Reporting
To access additional resources on data reporting, please visit the Fiscal Management topical page.

Consolidate CCDF Under the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Consolidation Act of 2017: CCDF-ACF-PI-2019-04 (Updated August 2019)
This program instruction was published in 2019 to provide information on the procedures to consolidate the CCDF program with other employment and training funding sources under a Pub. L. 102-477 Plan for new or continuation Plans.

CCDF Terms and Conditions (Added July 2018)
This web page provides a link to the terms and conditions that CCDF grantees, including grantees operating under P.L. 102-477, must comply with upon accepting CCDF funds.

Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Workforce Development (Added July 2018)
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is the lead federal agency for implementing the demonstration project created by P.L. 102-477. This web page provides more information on P.L. 102-477, including information about the law, federal partners and contacts, reporting forms, and annual reports.

Additional Resources for 102-477 Grantees
Grantees operating CCDF under a P.L. 102-477 Plan are encouraged to explore all of the resources listed in this American Indian and Alaska Native CCDF Administrators’ Resource Notebook, as well as explore the resources available on the Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center page and the Topical Resources Pages for additional support in implementing the CCDF program.

Taking Care of Yourself (Added July 2018)
This set of posters provides basic information regarding stress, including information on the cause of stress and tips for managing and reducing stress.

Providers: Taking Care of Ourselves (Added July 2018)
This resource was developed to help early childhood providers understand the signs of stress; identify stressors; reduce stress; and improve physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Stress Reduction Workshop (Updated August 2019)
This presentation is designed for early childhood staff and families, and focuses on teaching tips for understanding and reducing stress.

Trauma-Responsive Care: A Framework for Resilience for Tribes (Added January 2020)
This presentation is designed for participants to learn how to identify the impact of adverse childhood experiences on children, caregivers, and families; recognize the value of culturally responsive approaches to support resiliency in children, families, and Indigenous communities; and explore the elements of a trauma-responsive system of care.

Return to Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center page.