Child Care for Working Families Act BASE Grants: State-by-State Estimates of $9 Billion in Proposed Funding
By Stephanie Schmit & Alycia Hardy
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) recently reintroduced a stronger, revised version of the Child Care for Working Families Act (CCWFA). The bill addresses longstanding inequities in child care and early education for families and providers. It would expand access to nearly all children under age 6—including through providing universal preschool—increase wages for providers and their staff, and make needed care investments in all states.
One provision of the bill, the Building an Affordable System for Early Education (BASE) grants, is new this Congress. It is a grant program to provide funding to all states, the District of Columbia, and all tribes and territories, without requiring additional state match funds. It aims to make child care more accessible for families and better support providers.