Campaign Funds for Childcare

Initiative

About

Vote Mama Foundation is the only organization tracking the authorization and usage of Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC) in all 50 states and analyzing its impact on government accessibility.

Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC) can transform our political system by helping parents and caregivers run for office—without costing taxpayers a dime. [It sounds like a small structural change, but it can completely transform the political landscape who gets to run]

Without CFCC, the only parents who can afford to campaign are those who don’t have caregiving responsibilities, or those who have the financial means to pay for childcare out of pocket, often without a salary during a full-time campaign. As a result, our legislatures are missing the voices of people who understand the real struggles families face, and are failing to deliver the pro-family policies Americans need.

Problem

Running for office is the longest job interview you’ll ever have. It is a full-time commitment for up to two years, with irregular hours. Many campaign events happen during nights and weekends, and a good portion of them aren’t kid-friendly. This isn’t a problem for candidates without kids, or with adult children, but it makes campaigning as a parent of school-age children nearly impossible, unless they have unpaid help or the financial means to pay for childcare. On top of that, many candidates, especially at the federal level, have to give up their jobs to run. That’s why there are more millionaires in Congress than there are moms of minor kids.

If parents and caregivers can’t afford to run, they won’t. That’s why we end up with policymakers that focus more on what millionaires want, instead of what families need.

Solution

For parents running for office, childcare is just as essential of an expense as mileage for driving to campaign events, glossy literature to give out when door knocking, or pizza for volunteers at a phone bank.

In 2018, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) voted unanimously, on a bipartisan basis, to give federal candidates the option to spend their campaign funds on childcare. In 2024, the FEC expanded this to cover federal candidates and officeholders using campaign funds on dependent care expenses directly related to campaign activities and carrying out official duties.

Since 2018, more than 75% of states nationwide have also authorized Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC) for state and local candidates—and that number continues to grow.

If you’re interested in learning more about CFCC at the federal level specifically, additional resources from the FEC can be found here:

AO 2018-06: Use of campaign funds for childcare expenses
AO 2022-07: Use of campaign funds for overnight childcare expenses
AO 2024-09: Use of campaign funds for elder care expenses
FEC’s Tips for Treasurers: Use of campaign funds for childcare and family travel expenses
FEC’s help for candidates and committees: Spending that isn’t personal use

Download template request letter

Access

39 states (plus DC) have authorized the use of Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC)—so far.

Of the 39 states (plus DC) that have authorized Campaign Funds for Childcare (CFCC), 17 states also allow candidates to use campaign dollars on broader dependent care, and 15 states allow officeholders to use CFCC for costs directly related to official duties.

Where CFCC is authorized, candidates can use this vital resource for any campaign-related childcare expense, as long as they wouldn’t have incurred that cost if they weren’t campaigning for office.

CFCC is a nonpartisan initiative for all types of caregivers, regardless of ideology or political party, with no cost to taxpayers or state governments. It is essential to elevate diverse voices in our politics and eliminate barriers for caregivers to represent their communities.

Vote Mama Foundation is the only organization tracking the authorization and usage of CFCC nationwide. The table below outlines the scope of allowance in each state.

Candidates should report caregiving expenses on their candidate filing reports just like any other campaign-related expenditure. To learn more about how to utilize CFCC, check out our FAQ page on our website here.

State	Status	Approval Method	Year Approved	Dependent Care?	Official Duties?	Bipartisan Support?
Alabama	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2018	no	no	n/a
Alaska	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2025	yes	no	n/a
Arizona	Approved	Attorney General Opinion	2024	yes	no	n/a
Arkansas	Approved	Legislation	2021	no	no	yes
California	Approved	Legislation	2019	no	yes	yes
Colorado	Approved	Legislation	2019	yes	no	yes
Connecticut	Approved	Legislation	2021	no	no	yes
Delaware	Approved	Legislation	2021	no	no	yes
District of Columbia	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2024	no	no	n/a
Georgia	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2023	yes	yes	n/a
Hawaii	Approved	Legislation	2024	yes	no	yes
Idaho	Approved	Secretary of State Opinion	2024	yes	no	n/a
Illinois	Approved	Legislation	2021	yes	yes	yes
Kansas	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2018	no	yes	n/a
Kentucky	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2018	yes	no	n/a
Louisiana	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2019	no	no	n/a
Maryland	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2019	no	no	n/a
Massachusetts	Approved	Legislation	2024	yes	no	yes
Michigan	Approved	Secretary of State Opinion	2024	yes	yes	n/a
Minnesota	Approved	Legislation	1993	no	no	yes
Montana	Approved	Legislation	2021	no	no	yes
Nebraska	Approved	Ethics Ruling	1994	no	no	n/a
New Hampshire	Approved	Legislation	2019	no	no	yes
New Jersey	Approved	Legislation	2020	no	yes	yes
New Mexico	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2022	no	yes	n/a
New York	Approved	Legislation	2019	no	yes	yes
North Carolina	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2020	yes	yes	n/a
North Dakota	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2025	yes	yes	n/a
Oklahoma	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2024	yes	yes	n/a
Oregon	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2020	no	yes	n/a
Pennsylvania	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2024	no	no	n/a
Rhode Island	Approved	Legislation	2021	no	yes	yes
South Dakota	Approved	Attorney General Opinion	2026	no	yes	n/a
Tennessee	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2023	yes	yes	n/a
Texas	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2018	no	no	n/a
Utah	Approved	Legislation	2019	no	yes	yes
Vermont	Approved	Legislation	2021	yes	no	yes
Virginia	Approved	Legislation	2021	yes	yes	yes
Washington	Approved	Legislation	2022	yes	no	yes
West Virginia	Approved	Legislation	2021	yes	no	yes
Wisconsin	Approved	Ethics Ruling	2018	no	no	n/a

Usage

CFCC usage increased by 662% for federal candidates and 2,156% for state and local candidates from 2018 to 2022.

Our data shows that when candidates are authorized to use their campaign funds on caregiving expenses, they do. The increase in usage is particularly salient among those who have historically been underrepresented and who face additional barriers when running for and serving in office. A majority of the funds spent by women candidates at both the federal and state levels on childcare were spent by women of color.

Running for office should not be a privilege solely awarded to those who are independently wealthy and well-connected. Campaign finance reform can break down financial and structural barriers that prevent candidates from running, and presents an exciting avenue for continued research on how to increase representation among marginalized groups.

Federal usage form 2018–2022

$717,706

total spent

46%

spent by candidates of color

51%

spent by women

candidates in 90 federal races

State & local usage from 2018-2022

$297,582+

total spent on childcare expenses

70%

spent by candidates of color

38%

spent by women

87+

candidates utilized CFCC

FAQ

Is CFCC just for moms?

No. Both moms and dads, Democrats and Republicans, can and do use Campaign Funds for Childcare. We need more parents at every decision-making table to advocate for common-sense policies that help all families nationwide.

What about abuse?

All campaign related expenditures are regulated by the Federal Election Commission or respective State Ethics Commission, which are required to manage any and all instances of abuse or misreporting. There has not been a documented case of CFCC abuse since its first approval in 2018.

How do I report usage of CFCC?

Candidates report the usage of CFCC like they would any other campaign-related expenditure, following all federal, state, and local campaign finance guidelines. However, campaign finance rules are regulated and enforced differently from state to state and by locality. We recommend contacting your relevant federal or state enforcement agency to clarify how to utilize campaign funds for childcare expenses and how to report the expenses accurately.

We also recommend keeping all payment receipts as proof of documentation for any type of expenditure, not just childcare expenses, when submitting your campaign expenditure reports.

Is there a cap on how much I can spend on CFCC?

No. With the exception of Connecticut and Hawai’i, there is no cap on how much of your campaign dollars you can choose to spend on childcare expenses. Just like any other campaign expenditure, you have discretion as to how to allocate your budget across the different expenses related to your campaign such as TV commercials, mailers, additional staff, or childcare.

Is there a child age limit for the use of CFCC?

At the federal level, Campaign Funds for Childcare expenses are permitted for all children under the age of 18. At the state level, the scope of coverage differs. Refer to our table to determine your state’s specific guidance.

Can a candidate who already has full-time childcare before deciding to run for office use CFCC while campaigning?

Yes. Federal candidates are allowed to use their campaign funds to cover full-time childcare expenses, if that candidate is campaigning full-time. At the state level, we have been advised that if a caregiver is campaigning part-time and the child is enrolled in care full-time, the percentage of the time the dependent is receiving care while the candidate is engaged in campaign activity would arguably be covered by CFCC. Of course, we suggest seeking a final interpretation by your state’s campaign finance authority.

Can officeholders use campaign funds for childcare expenses directly related to carrying out official duties?

Yes for federal officeholders. They are allowed to use their campaign funds to cover childcare expenses that would not exist irrespective of their duties as federal officeholders. Please review Advisory Opinion 2024-09, published by the Federal Election Commission in 2024, to learn more.

For state officeholders, please review our state-by-state authorization table to learn more about the scope of coverage in your state.

What is the best way to respond to concerns from legislators about putting too many explicit expenditures in statute?

If your state has already taken steps to explicitly outline other permissible expenditures under its State Election Code, such as purchasing a vehicle, paying for office equipment, or paying staff, why not include childcare? Childcare is arguably the most significant expense prohibiting parents from running for office.

For candidates to know it is an option and feel comfortable using it, it must be explicitly included with other permissible expenses for transparency and regulation purposes.

Top congressional spenders