Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ECD TP 0039
The Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant, officially titled "Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology," is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). The notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) has been modified, with updates to the webinar link and the Early Childhood Development (ECD) website address, but the core purpose remains the same: helping eligible states and territories make practical, one-year investments that strengthen statewide early care and education (ECE) technology systems and data/analytics capacity.
At a high level, this grant is designed to modernize and improve the data infrastructure that supports early childhood programs serving children from birth through age five. The funding focuses on building or enhancing technology and analytic tools that can generate clearer, more useful information for state leaders, agencies, and partners to use in day-to-day decision-making. The expectation is not a long, open-ended transformation effort, but a targeted, realistic project that can show measurable progress within the single-year project period.
The investments supported under this grant are tied directly to PDG B-5 goals, especially improving coordination across the mixed-delivery ECE system, where services may be delivered through multiple channels such as child care, Head Start, pre-K, home visiting, and other early learning and family support programs. Stronger coordination is intended to reduce fragmentation across agencies and programs, make it easier to understand what services exist and where gaps remain, and support more coherent planning and service delivery statewide. The grant also emphasizes improving program quality and access, meaning states are encouraged to use technology and data capabilities to better identify availability, demand, barriers to participation, and quality improvement needs across the ECE landscape.
Another core objective is supporting informed family choice. In practice, that generally means building or improving systems that help families find, compare, and select early care and education options that meet their needs, using reliable, up-to-date information. Alongside that, the grant prioritizes strengthening states' ability to use data to understand and respond to the needs of young children and their families. The aim is to make data more actionable, so it can help identify inequities, service deserts, workforce constraints, and other challenges that affect children’s development and family well-being from birth through kindergarten entry.
Applicants must propose a focused and feasible project that improves the state's capacity to produce actionable information and demonstrate a measurable result by the end of the project period. The NOFO indicates that only specific states and territories are eligible, and those jurisdictions will be explicitly identified in the NOFO itself. Eligibility is limited to state governments and certain other eligible entities as specified, but applications from individuals, including sole proprietorships, and from foreign entities are not allowed and will be disqualified from review.
Administratively, the opportunity number is HHS 2026 ACF ECD TP 0039, and it is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 93.434. The application deadline is November 20, 2026. ACF anticipates making up to 25 awards, with an award ceiling of $15,000,000. Overall, the grant is positioned as a short-term, high-impact funding option for eligible jurisdictions that are ready to strengthen ECE technology and analytics in a way that produces concrete improvements in coordination, quality, access, family-facing information, and data-driven understanding of the birth-to-five system.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ECD TP 0039
- The Administration for Children and Families in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.434.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Others.
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PDG B-5 SMART Grant (HHS/ACF) FAQs
1) What is the official name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is officially titled "Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology." It is referred to as the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant.
2) Which federal agency is offering the PDG B-5 SMART Grant?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF).
3) What is the main purpose of the PDG B-5 SMART Grant?
The main purpose is to help eligible states and territories make practical, one-year investments to strengthen statewide early care and education (ECE) technology systems and data/analytics capacity, with an emphasis on producing actionable information and measurable results within the project period.
4) What does "SMART" mean in the title?
In this NOFO, SMART refers to "Strategic Measurement, Analytics, and Results using Technology."
5) What does the grant focus on improving within early childhood systems?
The funding focuses on modernizing and improving the data infrastructure that supports early childhood programs serving children from birth through age five, including technology systems and analytic tools that improve day-to-day decision-making.
6) Who is the grant intended to help serve?
The grant supports systems that serve children from birth through age five (birth-to-five), including the broader early care and education ecosystem connected to children and families through kindergarten entry.
7) How long is the project period under this grant?
The grant is designed for a one-year project period, and applicants are expected to propose a targeted project that can show measurable progress by the end of that single year.
8) Is this meant to fund a multi-year, open-ended modernization effort?
No. The NOFO emphasizes a focused and realistic project that can demonstrate measurable results within the one-year period, rather than a long, open-ended transformation effort.
9) What kinds of activities or investments does the grant support?
Based on the description provided, the grant supports building or enhancing ECE technology and analytic tools that generate clearer, more useful information for state leaders, agencies, and partners. The intent is to strengthen statewide ECE technology systems and improve data and analytics capacity.
10) How does this grant relate to PDG B-5 goals?
The investments are tied directly to PDG B-5 goals, especially improving coordination across the mixed-delivery ECE system, improving program quality and access, supporting informed family choice, and strengthening states' ability to use data to understand and respond to the needs of young children and their families.
11) What does "mixed-delivery ECE system" mean in this context?
In this context, mixed-delivery refers to early care and education services delivered through multiple channels such as child care, Head Start, pre-K, home visiting, and other early learning and family support programs.
12) Why is coordination across ECE programs emphasized?
The grant emphasizes coordination to reduce fragmentation across agencies and programs, make it easier to understand what services exist and where gaps remain, and support more coherent statewide planning and service delivery.
13) How does the grant address program quality and access?
The grant encourages states to use technology and data capabilities to better identify availability, demand, barriers to participation, and quality improvement needs across the ECE landscape.
14) What does "supporting informed family choice" mean here?
It generally means building or improving systems that help families find, compare, and select early care and education options that meet their needs using reliable, up-to-date information.
15) What kinds of insights or challenges is the grant trying to help states identify?
The grant prioritizes making data more actionable so states can better identify inequities, service deserts, workforce constraints, and other challenges that affect children's development and family well-being from birth through kindergarten entry.
16) What does the NOFO require from applicants in terms of outcomes?
Applicants must propose a focused and feasible project that improves the state's capacity to produce actionable information and demonstrate a measurable result by the end of the project period.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited. Only specific states and territories are eligible, and those jurisdictions will be explicitly identified in the NOFO itself. Eligibility is limited to state governments and certain other eligible entities as specified in the NOFO.
18) Are all states and territories eligible?
No. The NOFO indicates that only specific states and territories are eligible, and the eligible jurisdictions will be listed in the NOFO.
19) Are individuals allowed to apply?
No. Applications from individuals, including sole proprietorships, are not allowed and will be disqualified from review.
20) Are foreign entities allowed to apply?
No. Applications from foreign entities are not allowed and will be disqualified from review.
21) What happens if an ineligible applicant applies?
Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not allowed and will be disqualified from review, according to the information provided.
22) What is the opportunity number for this NOFO?
The opportunity number is HHS 2026 ACF ECD TP 0039.
23) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 93.434.
24) What is the application deadline?
The application deadline is November 20, 2026.
25) How many awards does ACF expect to make?
ACF anticipates making up to 25 awards.
26) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $15,000,000.
27) What kind of grant is this (discretionary or formula)?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity.
28) Was the NOFO modified, and what changed?
Yes. The NOFO has been modified with updates to the webinar link and the Early Childhood Development (ECD) website address. The core purpose of the grant remains the same.
29) What should applicants look for in the NOFO regarding eligibility?
Applicants should confirm whether their state or territory is explicitly identified as eligible in the NOFO, since eligibility is limited to specific jurisdictions.
30) What is the overall intent of the PDG B-5 SMART Grant?
The grant is positioned as a short-term, high-impact funding option for eligible jurisdictions that are ready to strengthen ECE technology and analytics in ways that produce concrete improvements in coordination, quality, access, family-facing information, and data-driven understanding of the birth-to-five system.
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