Apply for a state childcare subsidy and get approved

  1. Look up your state's CCDF agency and income guidelines
    45 min

    This step gives you the URL to bookmark, the agency name, and the income table you will compare your household income against in step 2.

    Find your state's CCDF lead agency. Every state, territory, and tribe administers its own Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program. The federal Office of Child Care maintains a directory of lead agencies:

    1. Go to Office of Child Care State Contacts.
    2. Click your state on the map or in the list.
    3. Note the agency name (e.g., California Department of Social Services, Texas Workforce Commission, New York State Office of Children and Family Services), its phone number, and the application website URL.
    4. Bookmark the application portal — that is where the official income guidelines are posted.

    Locate the current income eligibility table. On the agency's website, search for income guidelines, eligibility chart, or fee schedule. The table lists the maximum gross monthly or annual income by household size. Key details to extract:

    • Income limit by household size — usually a dollar figure for each size (2, 3, 4, 5+ people).
    • Percentage of FPL or SMI — states set their threshold somewhere between 150% and 85% of State Median Income (SMI) by family size. The federal ceiling is 85% of SMI.
    • Gross vs. net income — nearly all CCDF programs use gross (pre-tax) income, but a handful use net. Confirm which one your state uses.
    • Lookback period — how many months of income the state examines (commonly the last 3 months, or the most recent tax return).