Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Minnesota

Minnesota CCAP is two-tier: MFIP/DWP families have entitlement access (no waitlist), Basic Sliding Fee families face county waitlists. State CDCC refundable up to $600/$1,200. Minnesota Child Tax Credit pays $1,750/child — the largest state CTC in the U.S.

Data current as of May 21, 2026

Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Minnesota

Program name: Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) — including MFIP/DWP, Transition Year, and Basic Sliding Fee (BSF)
Administered by: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
Income ceiling: Two-tiered. MFIP/DWP (Minnesota Family Investment Program / Diversionary Work Program) families: at or below 67% State Median Income at application — entitlement with no waitlist. Basic Sliding Fee (BSF) families: at or below 47% SMI at application; remain eligible up to 67% SMI at redetermination.
Family fee / copay: Sliding-scale family copayment set in DCYF Copayment Schedule DHS-6413N by family size and income.
Waitlist status: Multi-year waitlist — BSF families face county-level waitlists when funds are insufficient — approximately 2,069 families across four counties as of August 2024. MFIP and DWP families are entitled to assistance and bypass any waitlist. Wait times vary substantially by county.
Apply: mnbenefits.mn.gov/

Priority groups (served first)

MFIP and DWP participants (entitlement, no waitlist)
Transition Year (TY) and Transition Year Extension (TYE) families
BSF applicants without a high school diploma/GED, or in remedial/basic-skills coursework as part of an employment-leading program

State pre-K in Minnesota

Program name: Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) — School Readiness Plus consolidated into VPK June 30, 2025
Administered by: Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF)
Access: Income-targeted
Eligibility: Children must be 4 years old by September 1. Enrollment prioritizes risk factors: eligible for free/reduced-price meals, English Learner, AI/AN, experiencing homelessness, in foster or kinship care, developmental screening risk, or migrant/seasonal farmworker family. Children who don't meet eligibility may attend on a fee-for-service basis.
Coverage: Approximately 12,360 permanently funded seats statewide following the 2024 legislative session — short of universal. VPK now operates on a four-year application cycle (FY 2026–29).
Apply: dcyf.mn.gov/partners-and-providers/child-care-and-early-learning/districts-schools-and-head-start/preschool/vpk

State tax credits & extras in Minnesota

State CDCC: Refundable. Independent dollar formula (not a percentage of federal CDCC) of the federal CDCC. Refundable Minnesota Child and Dependent Care Credit, claimed on Schedule M1CD. Tax year 2025 maximum: $600 (one qualifying dependent) or $1,200 (two or more). Phase-out begins at federal AGI of $64,150; eliminated above $76,150 (one dependent) or $88,150 (two or more).

Other state programs and credits

Minnesota Child Tax Credit — refundable $1,750 per child
Largest state Child Tax Credit in the United States. Refundable up to $1,750 per qualifying child under 18, with no cap on number of children. Phase-out begins at $31,950 (single) or $37,910 (married filing jointly). Advance-payment option available. Filed on the Minnesota individual income tax return.
Minnesota Early Learning Scholarships
Up to ~$10,500/year for children birth to age 4 to attend a Parent Aware-rated 3- or 4-star early-learning program. Apply at earlylearningscholarshipshub.mn.gov.

Where to apply or get help in Minnesota

Find a daycare in Minnesota

Once you know what you qualify for, Childery's directory helps you pick a provider. Browse Minnesota's licensed daycares with independent Process and Structural quality ratings, or search by ZIP code or city.

Browse Minnesota daycares

Sources

Every state layers its own program on top of a federal floor — CCDF (the federal block grant), Head Start, the federal DCFSA (employer pre-tax benefit), and the federal Child and Dependent Care Credit. See the federal overview for what the floor looks like before any state adds.