When the Head Start Program Performance Standards were revised last year, there were changes to community assessment requirements about when a full update to the report is necessary. Programs must complete a comprehensive community assessment once during the five-year grant period, and an update is only required if significant changes are identified during an annual review. How can a program determine if there are significant changes, particularly if only a few data points must be examined in the annual review? Here, we explore this question and provide strategies for how to leverage the annual review as a meaningful planning tool.

The start to fall has been a busy time for Head Start regional conferences. As we’ve been out and about, we’ve heard from experts and professionals from across the field who have offered updates and insights into the current status and future of Head Start. Here, we share some of the highlights we learned. We hope you’ll find them useful!

With the growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years, and the prevalence of generative AI in the workplace, we think it is important to share with you how we do and do not use these tools. With that in mind, we developed a Statement on Artificial Intelligence. The statement is posted to the Foundations for Families website and is included below. 

With the fall season comes the start of the Head Start monitoring cycle. While there are some similarities with past years about the timing and purpose of reviews, the format and protocol look different in many ways. It will be important for grant recipients who are expecting a review to be aware of these changes to ensure they are adequately prepared for a successful review.

Last week, Head Start programs from across the country came together at the National Head Start Association (NHSA) Fall Leadership Institute. As always, we enjoyed spending time with Head Start leaders we’ve known for years as well as those we met for the first time. Check out some of our key takeaways from the conference.

In late August, National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) held its Annual Convention in Detroit, Michigan. Foundations for Families team members were in attendance, and it was an incredible gathering of community action programs from across the county. We enjoyed...

Chambers of Commerce span the country, regionally and locally, and are comprised of members that engage in networking, advocacy, and collaboration to address issues and create opportunities for the business community. Chambers have a longstanding history, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was created in 1912 – more than 100 years ago! Since then, chambers expanded significantly, with many states and counties having their own chamber of commerce.

Yesterday, August 4, the Office of Head Start (OHS) held a webinar, Accessing One-time Funds for Healthy Eating in Head Start Programs Webinar,  to support the application process for one-time supplemental nutrition and healthy funding for Head Start programs (including Early Head Start programs) that was announced in Program Instruction (PI)  ACF-OHS-PI-25-02 on July 29.  Following a review of the PI, OHS staff responded to questions from participants.  Here, we recap the highlights from the Q&A that we think might be useful to ensure you have what you need to get started on your application as the deadline fast approaches.

On July 29, 2025, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a Program Instruction (PI), One-time Supplemental Funds for Nutrition and Healthy Eating for Head Start Children and Families ACF-OHS-PI-25-02, providing a description of supplemental funding that will be available to Head Start programs and how to apply. While there will be a webinar offered on Monday, August 4 to learn more about the process for requesting supplemental funds, we strongly encourage interested applicants to begin preparing now as there is a quick turnaround deadline (August 22) and it is unclear how long funding will be available. Here are a few ways you can prepare.

Last month, we presented a webinar, Responding to Federal Priorities, to provide practical ways to operationalize federal guidance and identify strategies to think proactively about program activities. The webinar focused on the primary priorities as identified in Secretary Kennedy’s May testimony about the President’s HHS FY 2026 Budget, as well as two recent IMs – ACF-OHS-IM-25-03​ Promoting Healthy Eating and Nutrition for Head Start Children and Families (March 2025) and ACF-OHS-IM-25-04 ​Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families in Head Start Programs (April 2025). Those priorities included increasing parental choice; improving health, education, and employment outcomes; increasing program delivery efficiency; and promoting parental engagement. Thank you to all who joined!

Last week, the Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for grants in the upcoming round of DRS were announced. This is the tenth round of DRS, and ten NOFOs were released for grants open for competition. Two of those NOFOs are for Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) grants.

The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the fifth round of EHS Expansion and Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership grants (EHS-Expansion and EHS-CCP) may be released this fall. Since each round of EHS Expansion and EHS-CCP has become increasingly...

This is the fourth of four 2020 quarterly status updates about the Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) initiative. Learn about what to expect for EHS-CCP and EHS Expansion in 2021. Round 4 grant award negotiations...

This time last year, the Office of Head Start (OHS) issued a Program Instruction (PI) announcing an opportunity for grantees to consolidate their Head Start and Early Head Start grants. Now, consolidations may include Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership...

This is the third of four 2020 quarterly status updates about the Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) initiative. Learn about next steps for EHS-CCP Round 4 applicants and what all grantees should know about changes to...

The EHS Expansion and EHS-CCP Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has been updated to provide extensions to the application deadline in six states: Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oregon. For applicants in these states, the deadline is...

Grants.gov is scheduled for maintenance this weekend, leading up to Monday’s deadline for submission of EHS-CCP proposals. The maintenance schedule states that systems will go offline Saturday, September 19 at 12:01am ET and will go back online Monday, September 21 at...

Applications for EHS Expansion and EHS-CCP Round 4 funding are due in 10 days, on September 21, 2020. This is anticipated to be the most competitive round of funding yet, and high quality applications will stand out. Here are five tips to keep in mind as you finalize...

When the EHS Expansion and EHS-CCP Round 4 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) was released last month, one of the highlights we noticed is that funding may be prioritized for services in Qualified Opportunity Zones. Here, we provide information about Qualified...

The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the fourth round of Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Grants was released on Grants.gov. The applications are due no later than September 21st. The FOA can be found here. With a sixty...