Child Care Subsidies & Assistance in Vermont

Vermont CCFAP covers families up to 575% FPL (~$185K family of 4, March 2026) under Act 76 — among the most generous ceilings in the U.S. $0 share below 175% FPL. Universal Pre-K free ages 3–5. State CDCC is 72% of federal, refundable. CTC pays $1,000 per child under 6.

Data current as of June 17, 2026

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Child care subsidy (CCDF) in Vermont

Program name: Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP)
Administered by: Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Child Development Division
Income ceiling: Family income up to 575% of the federal poverty level (about $179,400 per year for a family of four — $14,950 per month — under the 2024 federal poverty guidelines that took effect October 6, 2024 under Act 76 / H.217). DCF refreshed the chart again on March 22, 2026 using the 2025 federal poverty guidelines, raising the family-of-four ceiling to about $184,862 per year. Among the highest ceilings in the country. Approximately 7,983 families received CCFAP in April 2025 (Building Bright Futures), up about 48% from July 2023.
Family fee / copay: $0 family share for households at or below 175% FPL (about $52,000 for a family of three). Graduated copay applies above 175% FPL up to the 575% FPL ceiling. Provider reimbursement rates rose 35% on January 1, 2024 across all STARS levels.
Waitlist status: No typical waitlist — Vermont does not maintain a CCFAP waitlist. The Child Care Contribution (0.44% payroll tax, 75% employer / 25% employee, effective July 1, 2024) generates approximately $80 million per year; the state general fund adds about $45 million for a combined ~$125 million annual investment. Provider workforce and rural slot availability are the binding constraints, not subsidy funding.
Apply: dcf.vermont.gov/cdd/financial-assistance/ccfap

Income limits by family size

Family size	Maximum eligibility ceiling (annual, 575% FPL)
1	$148,464
2	$148,464
3	$148,464
4	$179,400
5	$210,336
6	$241,272
7	$241,272
8	$241,272

Maximum eligibility ceiling (annual, 575% FPL): Annual figures derived from the DCF chart's gross monthly income × 12, effective October 6, 2024 per Act 76 / H.217. Vermont bands family sizes: 3-or-less share one ceiling, 4 has its own, 5 has its own, and 6-or-more share one ceiling. DCF chart was updated again March 22, 2026 with 2025 FPL figures — see the DCF source link for the current numbers.

Vermont DCF Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) chart, refreshed March 22, 2026 to apply the 2025 HHS federal poverty guidelines. Vermont publishes the chart in four bands — family of 3 or less, family of 4, family of 5, and family of 6 or more — rather than a separate row per family size, so the table below shows each family size assigned its DCF band ceiling. The row values below still reflect the prior chart (575% × 2024 FPL — F4 anchor $31,200 → $179,400 per year / $14,950 per month) and have not yet been re-keyed to the 2025 FPL anchor of about $32,150 (F4 ceiling ≈ $184,862 per year); for the current official chart use the DCF source link below. Effective March 22, 2026; check the state portal for the latest figures.

State pre-K in Vermont

Program name: Universal Prekindergarten — Act 166 (2014)
Administered by: Vermont Agency of Education; mixed-delivery through public schools, private centers, family child care homes, and Head Start
Access: Universal
Eligibility: Children ages 3, 4, or 5 (age 3 or 4 on or before September 1 of the program year) not yet in kindergarten. No income test. Free.
Coverage: 10 hours per week for 35 weeks per year, publicly funded. SY 2025-26 state rate: $3,982 per child. CCFAP can wrap around the Act 166 hours; Act 166 hours are deducted from the CCFAP authorization.
Apply: education.vermont.gov/student-support/early-education/universal-prekindergarten-act-166

State tax credits & extras in Vermont

State CDCC: Refundable. 72% of the federal CDCC. Refundable Vermont Child and Dependent Care Credit. Claimed on Schedule IN-112; auto-qualifies if you claim the federal CDCC. One of the most generous state CDCC matches in the U.S.

Other state programs and credits

Vermont Child Tax Credit — refundable $1,000 per child age 6 or younger
Refundable state credit. Full $1,000 per qualifying child at AGI of $125,000 or less; phases out at 2% per $1,000 of AGI above that, fully phased out at $175,000. Act 71 (S.51, 2025) raised the eligible age from age 5 to age 6 and removed the federal-TIN requirement, so children without a federal taxpayer identification number now qualify — a material change for mixed-status families.

Where to apply or get help in Vermont

Find a daycare in Vermont

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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.