WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is directing more than $225 million in supplemental Head Start funding toward nutrition, facility improvements and one-time operating needs, expanding federal support for hundreds of early-childhood programs nationwide.
The awards, administered through the Administration for Children and Families, include more than $89 million in nutrition funding for over 400 Head Start grant recipients.
That represents an increase of approximately $27 million from the $62 million HHS provided to more than 290 programs for supplemental nutrition needs in 2025.
The nutrition funding can be used to increase access to nutrient-dense foods, improve food preparation and storage capacity, support farm-to-table and gardening programs and provide nutrition education to children and families.
HHS tied the spending to President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, with the nutrition component emphasizing prevention and childhood development.
“Good health begins with good nutrition, and the earliest years of a child’s life shape health for decades to come,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated. “We are strengthening Head Start nutrition and creating healthier, safer environments that give children a stronger foundation for lifelong health.”
Another 28 Head Start recipients will receive more than $88 million for facility improvements and learning environments.
The facilities funding may be used for renovations, repairs and modernization intended to address health, safety and service needs at Head Start locations.
HHS is providing an additional $47 million in one-time supplemental funding to 180 grant recipients for operational needs.
Eligible expenses include technology, buses and other transportation vehicles, HVAC installation, playground equipment, classroom furnishings, employee training and building security systems.
The three funding categories account for approximately $225 million in supplemental awards, with nutrition representing the largest number of recipient organizations.
ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams described the funding as part of the administration’s effort to refocus Head Start on nutrition, healthy development and greater program flexibility.
“The supplemental investments build on our broader efforts to strengthen Head Start by putting nutrition, healthy development, and program flexibility back at the center of how we serve children and families,” Adams stated.
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