The FY 2025 Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) Planning Grant is a forecasted funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Administration for Children and Families and its Office of Early Childhood Development. This initiative is also supported in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education. The primary focus of the grant is on system-building and enhancement for early childhood care and education systems across eligible U.S. states and territories. It is not intended to support direct service delivery.

The goal of the PDG B-5 Planning Grant is to help states and certain territories develop or refine a comprehensive statewide needs assessment and strategic plan for children from birth through age five. The planning activities are aimed at identifying ways to strengthen early childhood programs within a mixed delivery system. This includes aligning services across various sectors and improving the quality, accessibility, and equity of early childhood systems.

Grant funding may be used for a wide range of initiatives. These include conducting needs assessments, updating strategic plans, enhancing workforce development with a focus on mental health and support for early childhood educators, and increasing the quality of early care and education (ECE) programs. The grant also encourages better integration of data systems and supports the development of coordinated systems for application, eligibility, and enrollment into ECE programs. A key emphasis is placed on enhancing family engagement and improving seamless transitions for children from early childhood into kindergarten.

Eligibility for this grant is limited to state governments and certain U.S. territories, which will be specified in the final Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applications from individuals, sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are explicitly ineligible and will be disqualified from consideration. Further guidance on eligible territories will be detailed in the NOFO upon release.

The grant is projected to be officially posted on February 28, 2025, with applications due by May 1, 2025, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Standard Time. Awards are expected to be announced by August 29, 2025, with funded projects beginning on September 30, 2025. The anticipated total program funding is $40 million, with individual awards ranging between $500,000 and $4 million. Approximately ten awards are expected to be granted. Cost sharing or matching funds will be required, although the exact matching amount has not yet been disclosed.

For further details, applicants may contact Richard Gonzales at 202-401-5138 or via email at Richard.Gonzales@acf.hhs.gov. Additional updates, including specific state and territory eligibility, will be available in the full NOFO once it is published.