ZERO TO THREE’s analysis of federal funding proposals examines funding levels across agencies for the programs and services that impact infants, toddlers, and their families.
The President starts the federal funding process each year by sending a budget proposal to Congress. The President’s Budget (PB) is a blueprint, signaling the priorities of the Administration and sets the tenor of the negotiation process. This year, President Biden’s budget for 2025 proposed several key investments to support babies and strengthen families, including funding affordable and quality child care; reinstating the enhanced, fully refundable Child Tax Credit; creating a national paid family and medical leave program; and fully funding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
Once the President’s Budget proposal is released, the House of Representatives and the Senate can begin work on the annual appropriations bills that set funding levels for federal programs. They divide the total amount of funding among twelve appropriations bills that cover funding for different agencies. This year, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have both approved their versions of the Fiscal Year 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (L-HHS) bill that funds many of the federal programs that benefit babies and families. Overall, the bipartisan Senate bills include funding levels that are equal to or higher than the Republican-led House bills for child care, Head Start, infant and early childhood mental health, maternal health, and other family support programs. Other bills fund programs for child nutrition and housing. The stringent budget caps agreed on by the President and Congress last year are reflected in these proposals and mean many programs will receive little to no increased funding.
Yet, given the late start to this year’s negotiations and the hyper partisan environment in an election year, it is highly unlikely Congress will pass a funding package in time for the start of Fiscal Year 2025, which begins October 1, 2024 (learn more about how a bill becomes a law). Rather, Congress will probably pass a Continuing Resolution, or CR, to fund the federal government at current levels past the election to provide themselves with more time for final negotiations.
See the table below for more information on past and proposed federal funding levels for key programs that ZERO TO THREE tracks, organized by ZERO TO THREE’s policy framework for what all children need: Good Health, Strong Families, and Positive Early Learning Experiences. Stay connected with ZERO TO THREE for updates on the Fiscal Year 2025 funding process and what it means for babies.
| FEDERAL PROGRAM | FY 2024 ENACTED BUDGET | FY 2025 PRESIDENT’S BUDGET PROPOSAL | FY 2025 HOUSE DRAFT PROPOSAL | FY 2025 SENATE DRAFT PROPOSAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory Medicaid Coverage 12 Months Postpartum | Yes | |||
| Allow continuous eligibility under Medicaid and CHIP ages birth – 6 years old | Yes | |||
| Early Childhood Development Experts in Community Health Centers | $30M | $30M | $30M | $30M |
| Early Childhood Development Expert Grants | $10M | Not available* | $10M | $10M |
| Pediatric Mental Health Care Access | $13M | $13M | $13M | $14M |
| National Child Traumatic Stress Network | $98.9M | $94M | $100.9M | $103.9M |
| Project LAUNCH | $23.6M | $25.6M | $0 | $32.6M |
| Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Grants | $15M | $15M | $15M | $15M |
| Community Mental Health Services Block Grant | $986.5M | $1.043B | $1.022B | $1.043B |
| Screening and Treatment for Maternal Depression | $11M | $15.5M | $11.5M | $12M |
| Maternal Health Innovation Grants | $55M | $61M | $55M | $55M |
| Maternal Mental Health Hotline | $7M | $7M | $7.5M | $8M |
| Safe Motherhood and Infant Health | $110.5M | $118M | $110.5M | $116.5M |
| Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) | $7B | $7.7B | $7.2B | $7.7B |
| Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | $122.3B | $123.3B | $123.2B | $123.2B |
| Establish a national, comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave Program | Yes | |||
| Enhanced, Fully Refundable Child Tax Credit | Yes | |||
| Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) Child Protective Services State Grants | $105.1M | $105M | $105.1M | $110.1M |
| CAPTA Discretionary Grants | $36M | $38M | $32M | $36M |
| CAPTA Community-Based Grants for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect | $70.7M | $90M | $70.7M | $74.7M |
| Infant-Toddler Court Program | $18M | Not available* | $20M | $18M |
| Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) | $518.7M | $565.8M | $600M | $600M |
| Diaper Distribution Grant Program | $20M | $20M | $0M | $20M |
| Tenant-Based Rental Assistance/Housing Choice Voucher Program | $32.8B | $32.8B | $28.3B | 35.3B |
| Choice Neighborhoods | $75M | $140M | $0M | $100M |
| Promoting Safe and Stable Families | $417.5M | $777M | $414.8M | $417.5M |
| Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council | $3M | $3M | $3M | $3M |
| Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) | $8.7B | $8.5B | $8.8M | $10.3M |
| Head Start/Early Head Start | $12.3B | $12.5B | $12.3M | $12.9M |
| Part C of IDEA, Grants for Infants and Families | $540M | $545M | $540M | $545M |
| Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) | $75M | $80M | $0 | $80M |
| Affordable Child Care for America | $400B/10 years | |||
| Universal Preschool | $200B/10 years | |||
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