Board of Early Education and Care Approves New Funding Formula

TAUNTON — The Massachusetts Board of Early Education and Care (EEC) voted unanimously to adopt the standard Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) funding formula, following a successful public comment period and a public hearing with broad participation from educators, providers, community partners and families.

This formula sets how much state C3 funding early education and care programs receive, which supports providers’ day-to-day operational costs, including compensation that enables programs to better recruit and retain their staff while mitigating increased costs for families.

Since launching in 2021, the C3 program has provided critical operating support to more than 90% of licensed early education and care programs statewide, delivering more than $2 billion directly to providers and benefiting hundreds of thousands of children and families. C3 has effectively helped to stabilize the state’s childcare system, enabling early education programs to remain open, and is supporting system-wide growth through investments in workforce, quality, and affordability.

The board’s action ensures that Massachusetts will continue to lead the nation as the only state sustaining pandemic-era stabilization grants at the same funding level as the federal government did, supporting a stronger, more affordable and more accessible childcare system.

“Massachusetts is the number one state for having a baby, raising a family, and being a working parent. That’s in large part due to our commitment to making the strongest childcare and early education investments in the country,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “I want to thank the board for their partnership in making childcare more affordable and supporting our hardworking providers.”

The C3 formula provides monthly, predictable grants to programs serving children across the state. Under the approved formula, programs will be expected to dedicate at least 50% of their C3 funding to workforce expenditures, including wages, benefits, and professional development.

Also consistent with new state requirements, programs receiving C3 funding will need to attest to their willingness to enroll children receiving Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA), and EEC will publish a public list of programs that accept CCFA to improve transparency and access for families.

“Today’s vote reflects the board’s commitment to supporting a strong, stable, and equitable early education and care system in Massachusetts,” said Paul Belsito, Early Education and Care board chair. “The C3 program continues to be a critical tool in helping providers sustain operations, invest in their workforce, and keep high-quality early education and care assessable and affordable for families.”