The Alaska Department of Health announced updates to the Child Care Grant (CCG) program yesterday, February 5, 2026. Updates are funded by $5.9 million added to the Fiscal Year 2026 budget to support Alaska’s licensed child care providers. The CCG program is available to licensed child care providers who care for at least 5% or one child (whichever is greater) whose family receives assistance through the Child Care Assistance Program, also known as Parents Achieving Self Sufficiency (PASS).
Providers eligible for the grant can use the money to pay staff salaries, wages, and benefits; cover costs for substitute care providers; purchase health and safety-related items; pay for supplies, equipment, and activities for the children in care; and fund education and training related to child development.
The new updates to the CCG program include increasing base grant rates, removing per-child caps, and launching a new pilot program that provides additional monthly funding to providers caring for infants and toddlers.
According to a press release from the Alaska Department of Health, the changes and the new pilot program “reflect the state’s commitment to strengthening access to affordable, high-quality child care for families across Alaska.”