Rural Child Care Access Act

More child care help for rural towns

This bill would create a new HHS grant program to help small and rural child care facilities. Grants would go to centers that serve jurisdictions with fewer than 50,000 people. Funds would pay to modify, upgrade, or build facilities and must tie to improving care, provider training, recruitment, or community engagement. Each grant could not exceed $4,000,000, and the bill would authorize $250 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2029. Applicants would need to submit a project cost estimate and show financial need. HHS would have 120 days after enactment to issue guidance, would try to spread awards geographically, and would report to Congress starting two years after enactment and then every two years until six years after enactment. The Secretary would also periodically study and publish met and unmet construction and renovation needs of a national sample of child care facilities.