Community Child Care Fund expanded to support services in disadvantaged communities

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers can now apply for a new round of Community Child Care Fund (CCCF) grants, with significant funding available to help services remain viable in communities experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability.

Up to $106.9 million is available through the CCCF to support ECEC services, with a strong focus on regional, rural and remote communities where access to early learning can be limited.

The funding forms part of the Albanese Labor Government’s broader early learning reform agenda and includes an important structural change, with grants extended from two years to three years to provide services with greater certainty and stability.

Since its introduction in 2018, the Australian Government has provided more than $300 million in CCCF funding to around 1,200 services nationwide. The program is designed to help services stay open and continue operating in communities where financial viability is a challenge, but the need for quality early learning remains critical.

This funding round will complement the Building Early Education Fund, which is investing in expanding or building ECEC services in areas of need across Australia. The building fund includes up to $40 million for operational expenditure to support new sites, in addition to CCCF funding.

Applications for the current CCCF round are open until 25 February 2026. Further information, including eligibility criteria and application details, is available via the Sustainability and capital support grant page on the Department of Education website.

In announcing the funding, Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth Jess Walsh highlighted the importance of equitable access to early learning.

“Every child deserves access to quality early learning, no matter their postcode or what their parents do for work,” Minister Walsh said.

The expanded CCCF is expected to support the continued delivery of high-quality early learning in areas of greatest need, helping ensure all children can access education in the years that matter most.

Read the media release here.