Managing Child Care Financial Assistance

This page provides information for family access administrators on the Department of Early Education and Care's (EEC) regulations and policies for child care financial assistance, including EEC's rate chart and SMI income guidelines.

Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) system

EEC provides subsidies to families in need to help cover the cost of child care.  Early education and care programs that accept these subsidies use EEC's Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) system for documenting family eligibility, tracking child attendance, and submitting requests for reimbursement.

How to use CCFA

These instructional videos and training materials provide guidance for programs on how to use the various functions in CCFA. 

Get Help on CCFA

If you have a question about CCFA or need assistance using the system, you may submit a request to EEC's Help Desk. Please close your web browser after submitting the request.  If you have not received a response to a previously submitted request, please check your email junk folder before opening a new ticket.

Child care subsidy management

Parent Fee Table and SMI Chart

Fiscal Year 2026 Rates

Through the state’s Fiscal Year 2025 Fair Share Surplus Supplemental Budget, $20 million was provided to increase reimbursement rates in Fiscal Year 2026 for center-based and family child care providers who care for children whose families receive state Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA). The Board of Early Education and Care (EEC) has approved a rate increase plan that includes a cost-of-living adjustment for all rates as well as additional targeted adjustments to specific rates by region and age group to make progress on inequities in rate amounts, based on the cost of providing care while still also considering the market (tuition prices).

Early education and care providers will see updated rates beginning on April 1, 2026. This rate increase will be retroactive to July 1, 2025, which means the rate increase will be applied to services provided on or after July 1, 2025. Providers will receive a one-time payment in April to account for retroactive rate increases. 

Additional Resources

Help Us Improve Mass.gov  with your feedback

Please do not include personal or contact information.
Feedback