Subsidy Eligibility and Equal Access Resource Page

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) final rule outlines regulations for implementing the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 and administering the CCDF program, including provisions to provide equal access to stable child care for children from low-income families. These include subsidy eligibility policies, stable financial assistance, and payment rates and practices. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) CCDF grantees with medium ($250,000 to $1 million in CCDF funds) and large (more than $1 million in CCDF funds) grant allocations are subject to the majority of the subsidy eligibility and equal access provisions in the final rule. All AI/AN CCDF grantees are exempt from the requirement to conduct a market rate survey or alternative methodology.

This resource page provides resources from the Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center on providing equal access to stable child care for low-income families.

For Tribes with Small Allocation Sizes that choose to offer direct services, the resources on this page can be useful when designing the systems, procedures, and practices that are a part of effective subsidy administration. 

Eligibility and Equal Access Requirements

• American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care and Development Fund: Guide to Subsidy Administration for Medium- and Large-Allocation Grantees  (guide)
• FY 2020–2022 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint Training Resources, Section 4: Tribes with Small Allocations Only—Direct Services  (presentation slides for small allocation grantees)
• FY 2020–2022 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint Training Resources, Section 5: Provide Stable Financial Assistance to Families  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• FY 2020–2022 CCDF Tribal Plan Preprint Training Resources, Section 6: Ensure Equal Access to High-Quality Child Care for Low‐Income Children  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Eligibility and Equal Access in American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care and Development Fund Programs  (presentation for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Requirements for Tribes with Medium and Large Allocations  (handout for medium- and large-allocation grantees)

CCDF Subsidy Eligibility

• Cause and Effect: How Changes to Eligibility and Payment Rates Can Impact Your Program  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Eligibility and Equal Access in Tribal Child Care and Development Fund Programs  (presentation slides for small allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Eligibility in American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care and Development Fund Programs: Part I  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Eligibility in American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care and Development Fund Programs: Part II  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)

Ensuring Equal Access

• Equal Access in American Indian and Alaska Native Child Care and Development Fund Programs  (presentation slides for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Sample Rate Setting Template  (handout for medium- and large-allocation grantees)

Policies and Procedures for Subsidy Eligibility and Equal Access

• Developing Policies and Procedures for Subsidy Eligibility and Equal Access  (presentation slides)
• Sample Policies and Procedures for Subsidy Administration  (handout)

Additional Tools and Resources

• State Median Income and Federal Poverty Level Comparison Tables for Fiscal Year 2021 (handout, contact [email protected](link sends e-mail) to request this resource)

• Demonstration of the Projecting CCDF Spending for Direct Services Tool  (On-Demand recorded session)
• Prioritization Sample  (handout)
• Sample Authorization Form  (handout)
• Sliding Fee Scale Examples  (handout for medium- and large-allocation grantees)
• Subsidy Administration Resource List  (annotated resource list)

More from the Child Care Technical Assistance Website

The Office of Child Care's Child Care Technical Assistance website provides training, resources, and materials to multiple stakeholder groups at the state, Tribal, regional, and local levels to support high-quality services for children and families. The following Office of Child Care's National Centers has a variety of resources to support the implementation of subsidy requirements:

• National Center on Child Care Subsidy Innovation and Accountability (NCSIA): NCSIA provides resources and technical assistance focused on developing child care subsidy systems that are child-focused, family-friendly, and fair to providers. NCSIA works with grantees to help them reach goals related to subsidy eligibility, integrating quality and subsidy, strengthening program integrity, payment rules, rate setting, and other policies and practices that support providing high-quality care to more children from low-income families.

The Tribal Child Care Capacity Building Center can help you navigate the many resources available through the Office of Child Care's Child Care Technical Assistance website.