Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2025
The Expanding Childcare in Rural America Act of 2025 would create a new initiative within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop, expand, and improve childcare in rural and farming-dependent communities from fiscal years 2026 through 2030. The initiative would prioritize funding for projects that increase the availability, quality, or affordability of childcare by using existing USDA loan, grant, and business programs (such as essential community facilities, rural development, and small business financing). In administering these funds, the Secretary of Agriculture could work with intermediaries like childcare resource networks, community development financial institutions, and nonprofits that have experience in building or improving childcare facilities and supporting providers. The bill also requires a formal evaluation of funded projects within two years and a comprehensive report three years after enactment. In short, the bill aims to leverage existing rural development programs to bolster childcare options in rural areas, with emphasis on farming-dependent counties, and to measure the outcomes of those investments.
Key Points
- 1Establishes the Expanding Childcare in Rural America Initiative at the USDA to operate 2026–2030, focusing on rural and agricultural communities.
- 2Defines childcare to include programs that provide quality care and early education for children in kindergarten or pre-kindergarten, operated by eligible providers or licensed/regulatory-compliant providers, including school-based and facility-based programs.
- 3Prioritizes grant/loan recipients who address childcare availability, quality, or cost, using specific USDA programs (essential community facilities loans/grants, TA and training grants, rural development and business loan programs, rural microenterpreneur support, and RISE grants).
- 4Requires funding decisions consider farming-dependent counties and ensure balanced geographic distribution of benefits.
- 5Allows funding to be delivered through intermediaries with expertise in facility development, provider support, or mobilizing private capital for childcare and related community development; includes evaluation and mandated reporting on outcomes.