FY 2023-2025 Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint Resources

The CCDF Plan developed by Tribal Lead Agencies is the primary mechanism that the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) uses to determine Tribal Lead Agency compliance with the requirements of the law and final rule. This CCDF Plan Preprint consists of two parts aligned with the flexibility that Tribes have based on the size of their CCDF allocation.

Part I (For Tribes with small, medium, and large allocations):

Define CCDF Leadership and Coordination with Relevant Systems
Establish Standards and Monitoring Processes to Ensure the Health and Safety of Child Care Settings
Supporting Continuous Quality Improvement
Tribes With Small Allocations: Direct Services
Tribes With Small Allocations: Direct Services

Part II (For Tribes with medium and large allocations only):

Provide Stable Child Care Financial Assistance to Families
Ensure Equal Access to Quality Child Care for Low-Income Children
Promote Family Engagement Through Outreach and Consumer Education.

These sections reflect key functions of an integrated system of child care for low-income working families.

The FY 2023–2025 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint Training resources follow the structure of the FY 2023–2025 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint and include the following:

Introduction to the Tribal CCDF Plan Preprint and Submission Process

This section provides basic information as Tribal Lead Agencies prepare for writing their FY 2023-2025 Tribal CCDF Plan. Within this section you will find the links to the Program Instruction and Final Plan Preprint as well as a checklist to ensure you have completed all of the requirements for Plan submission.

Section 1: Define CCDF Leadership and Coordination with Relevant Systems

This section provides information on how the CCDF program is administered, including the designated Tribal Lead Agency and administrative structure. It also addresses who was consulted in the development of the Tribal CCDF Plan and how the Tribal Lead Agency plans to coordinate CCDF services with other entities.

Section 2: Establish Standards and Monitoring Processes to Ensure the Health and Safety of Child Care Settings

This section provides information on how the Tribal Lead Agency ensures the health and safety of children in care. It includes the health and safety standards, health and safety training, monitoring and enforcement procedures, exemptions for relative care providers, group size, ratios, teacher qualifications, and comprehensive background check requirements.

Section 3: Supporting Continuous Quality Improvement

This section provides information on how the Tribal Lead Agency will spend the 9 percent quality set-aside on at least one of the 10 allowable quality activities. In addition, Tribes with medium or large allocation sizes will provide information on how they will spend the additional 3 percent infant/toddler set aside.

Section 4: Tribal Lead Agencies with Small Allocations Only—Direct Services

This section is for Tribes with small allocation sizes only. In this section Tribal Lead Agencies will determine if they offer direct services or only use CCDF funds for quality improvement. If offering direct services, Tribal Lead Agencies will describe their direct services methods, categories of care offered, eligibility criteria, payment rates, and how families can apply for services.

Section 5: Provide Stable Child Care Financial Assistance to Families

This section is for Tribes with medium or large allocation sizes only. In this section Tribal Lead Agencies will include the basis for determining eligibility from two options: standard eligibility or categorical eligibility. Tribal Lead Agencies may choose a hybrid approach that is a combination of the two. Within this section the Tribal Lead Agency will provide definitions, options chosen for eligibility, and family contributions to payments.

Section 6: Ensure Equal Access to Quality Child Care for Low-Income Children

This section is for Tribes with medium or large allocation sizes only. In this section Tribal Lead Agencies will provide a description of their direct services program and how they will ensure equal access to families. Within this section Tribal Lead Agencies will describe their direct services methods, payment rates, and payment practices.

Section 7: Promote Family Engagement Through Outreach and Consumer Education

This section is for Tribes with medium or large allocation sizes only. In this section Tribal Lead Agencies will describe how information on accessing high-quality child care, other financial assistance, information on developmental screenings, and the parental complaint process is made available to eligible families.

Agency links