Lincoln, Neb. – On December 19, 2022, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Children and Family Services (CFS) was one of 21 states/territories to receive an award notification of a $4 million Preschool Development Birth through Five (PDG B-5) one-year planning grant from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The grant awarded funds to support early childhood services for children from birth to age five in the areas of needs assessment, strategic planning, family engagement, quality improvement, workforce compensation and supports, and services for young children.
The newly awarded planning grant will build on the important work the state has initiated through its PDG B-5 Initial and Renewal Grants over the past four years and will continue its focus on the state’s most vulnerable populations, which in Nebraska includes children in many rural communities. The state is working hard to expand access to high-quality services families want and need.
Nebraska’s implementation of the PDG B-5 has included a strong commitment to stakeholder engagement, one that will continue in the newly awarded planning grant. The state has the capacity and leadership needed to be successful with each PDG B-5 activity and is committed to detailed timelines and milestones aimed at strengthening the multi-delivery system, developing high-quality childcare programs, and increasing access while continuing to assess the needs of children and families across the state.
DHHS, in cooperation with statewide childcare partners, will work diligently in the delivery of PDG B-5 programming and services to take child care to the next level for all Nebraska children and families. For more information regarding the PDG B-5 Grant, click here.