Much of DCY’s annual budget — upwards of $1 billion — is allocated for childcare, primarily through Ohio’s Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) program. More than half of that funding comes through a single line item in the federal Child Care Block Grant; another quarter comes from the state’s General Revenue Fund. Part 1 of the analysis focuses on these two streams.

“There is a growing movement for better childcare here in Ohio, and that requires better funding,” said report co-author Kathryn Poe. “Ohioans need a clear, detailed understanding of how we fund these programs, so we can effectively advocate for our priorities.”

Part 2 of the analysis will be released in October and will focus on the 21.8% of Ohio’s childcare funding that comes by way of the federal block grant for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. It will include recommendations for ensuring more families can access childcare in their communities and more providers can pay staff a minimum of $20 per hour.