Rural families often face a shortage of affordable, quality childcare that limits workforce participation and economic opportunity in small and agricultural communities across the country. Starting in fiscal year 2027 and running through 2029, the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative directs the USDA to prioritize applicants who plan to use federal rural development funding to address childcare availability, quality, or cost in rural areas. Loans and grants from four existing USDA programs — including community facilities funds, business loans, microenterprise assistance, and the intermediary relending program — would all give preference to these childcare projects. The USDA must conduct a formal evaluation of outcomes within three years and report to Congress on the results within four years.
Average Household Impact
- Rural childcare funding priority — USDA loans and grants across four programs prioritized for childcare projects in rural areas for FY2027–2029
Transparency & Accountability
- Program evaluation and reporting — USDA required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and submit results to Congress within 4 years
Congressional Summary
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative to prioritize certain loans and grants that address childcare in rural areas. Under the bill, childcare includes eligible programs that provide quality care and early education for children who have not yet entered first grade.Under the initiative, USDA must give priority to applicants that propose to use certain loans or grants to address the availability, quality, or costs of childcare in rural areas. In addition, USDA must ensure a balanced geographical distribution of the benefits.USDA must conduct a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the projects carried out under the initiative and submit a report to Congress.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-05-21
- Date Added
- 2026-06-23
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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