Colorado
Working families in Colorado need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children.
Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Colorado. But too many working families in Colorado are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Colorado economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue.
There are 384K children ages 5 and under in Colorado – 64% of these children have all available parents in the workforce.
The typical annual cost of child care for an infant in Colorado is around $19,000.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 11% of eligible families in Colorado. (This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care.)
On average, child care providers in Colorado earn just $37,690 a year; this can make it a challenge to recruit and retain this workforce, leading to supply issues.
Colorado’s economy loses $2.3B annually due to child care challenges
Colorado: In The Headlines
Lack of affordable child care costs Colorado $2.7 billion annually
Kiowa County Press | May 1, 2025
The lack of quality child care for infants and toddlers costs Colorado nearly $3 billion each year in lost earnings, productivity and revenue.
Child care deserts in Colorado are keeping women from working
KDVR | November 20, 2024
Finding available and affordable child care is a pressing concern for many Colorado families.
Child care funding, availability, and turnover challenges in Boulder County
Left Hand Valley Courier | fEBRUARY 5, 2025
Child care challenges in Boulder County include affordability, availability, uncertainty about state and federal funding, and lack of financial support for unlicensed and licensed exempt providers, which represent 60% of child care.
Colorado Resources & News
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The First Five Things to Know About: Head Start In Every Congressional District
Head Start has been making a difference in the lives of children and families for more than 60 years. Since its beginning, the program has reached more than 40 million …
Democratic Quotes of Support for Head Start
Head Start provides high-quality learning and care, nutrition, and medical services for young children whose families have incomes below poverty. This helps their parents to go to work, especially in …
How a Lack of Affordable Child Care Impacts the Economy
Two-thirds of all children ages five and under need some form of child care because all of the adults in their home are working. But child care remains both expensive …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care and Early Learning
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
2024 Child Care and Early Learning State Fact Sheets
FFYF’s 2024 State Fact Sheets from 50 states and Washington, D.C. show how federal investments in child care impact working parents, children, and the economy. Federal funding and programs benefit …
2024 CCDBG State Fact Sheets
First Five Years Fund released a new collection of fact sheets from all 50 states detailing how the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) helps families and kids in …
New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements
Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …
FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses
Analysis of 2024 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found that child care, early learning, and early childhood received substantial attention across state and party …
Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …
How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways
The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …
FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets
Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …
New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program
New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …
How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State
The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …
FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets
Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …
Colorado — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State
The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …
2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding
FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …
Colorado — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes
This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …
Biden Releases Early Learning and Care Plan as White House Focuses on Child Care in Colorado Visit
America needs child care relief to keep the industry afloat during the nation’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The disastrous economic crisis has hit the child care industry especially …
Colorado: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
Governors Across the Country Celebrate Federal Preschool Development Grant B-5 Funding
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through 5 (PDG B-5) is a $275 million competitive federal grant program designed to improve states’ early childhood systems by building upon existing federal, state, …
Preschool Development Grant Funding Awarded to 26 States for 2020
UPDATE: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced additional three-year renewal grants are being awarded to South Carolina, Nebraska, and …
Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States
On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state. As in previous years, CAP’s …
See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care
Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …
Colorado: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities
High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …
46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants
Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …
