About

Head Start programs are administered by the Office of Head Start (OHS), within the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

OHS administers grant funding and oversight to about 1,600 public and private nonprofit and for-profit agencies that offer Head Start services in local communities. Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start grant recipients provide services in every U.S. state and territory, farmworker camps, and more than 150 tribal communities.

OHS also provides federal policy direction and training and technical assistance (TTA) system to help grant recipients deliver comprehensive services to eligible young children and their families. Learn more about Head Start services.

Congress appropriated $12.27 billion for Head Start funding in fiscal year (FY) 2025. Of that amount, $11.86 billion was awarded directly to public agencies, private nonprofit and for-profit organizations, tribal governments, and school systems to operate Head Start programs in local communities. To improve the quality of services provided by grant recipients, $257 million was directed to TTA. Half that amount was awarded directly to grant recipients to be used for local TTA, and the other half funded the regional and national system. Find additional funding details and program data in the Head Start Program Annual Fact Sheets.

To learn how to apply for a Head Start grant in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Locator section.