Indiana’s Childcare Voucher Program Closed to New Kids for 17 Months
Indiana’s Child Care and Development Fund, which provides childcare vouchers to low-income families, stopped accepting new children in December 2024. Enrollment had peaked at 69,000 kids. A waitlist formed and kept growing.
35,000 children were on Indiana’s CCDF waitlist when new enrollments finally resumed in late May 2026.
Gov. Mike Braun secured a one-time $200 million injection from the state’s General Fund in April 2026 to reopen the program to an estimated 14,000 additional children. Enrollments are expected to continue through September 2026. That leaves roughly 21,000 children still waiting.
Mothers Say Vouchers Are the Difference Between Working and Homelessness
On July 21, 2026, Braun toured Shepherd Community Center’s Minnie Hartmann Neighborhood Childcare facility in Indianapolis and heard directly from parents using CCDF.
“I wouldn’t be able to work without it. I don’t think I make enough at home to pay for this every week, plus all my bills.”
Jasmine Williams, CCDF parent, speaking to Gov. Braun, July 21, 2026
Kendra Chavez, a single parent, described struggling to cover costs for a younger child who sat on the CCDF waitlist until recently. She said the voucher reduced financial stress and helped ensure her children were fed and bills were paid. Without it, she said, stability was not possible.
The Next Budget Fight Starts in January 2027
Braun has said he plans to propose an additional $200 million per year in the next biennial budget for early childhood learning. Indiana’s legislative session begins in January 2027. That budget proposal is not law yet, and the legislature controls the final numbers.
The program is mostly federally funded. The recent $200 million state supplement was a one-time measure, not a permanent expansion. Without a sustained budget increase, enrollment gains made in 2026 could stall again.
Indiana’s CCDF funding gap did not appear overnight. The administration cited a weak revenue forecast when it initially said the program would not expand until 2027. More recent forecasts have improved, which is what enabled Braun’s April funding move. The January session will determine whether that improvement translates into a durable budget line.
What You Can Do Now
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Call your Indiana state representative and senator at the Indiana General Assembly switchboard at (317) 232-9400. Tell them to fully fund the $200 million per year CCDF increase in the 2027 biennial budget. The session begins in January 2027, but budget negotiations start earlier. Find your legislators at iga.in.gov/find-legislators.
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Contact Gov. Braun’s office directly at (317) 232-4567. Tell him the one-time $200 million was a start, but 21,000 children are still waiting. Ask him to commit publicly to full CCDF expansion in his budget proposal before the session opens.
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Share testimony with your legislator. The Indiana Capital Chronicle’s July 22, 2026 report includes direct quotes from CCDF parents. Forward it to your state rep or senator with a note saying these families are in their district. Named constituents carry more weight than generic calls.
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Check if your child or a family you know qualifies. Indiana CCDF enrollment is open through September 2026. Eligibility and application details are at childcarefinder.in.gov. Spots may close before the 35,000-person backlog is cleared.
Sources
Indiana Family and Social Services Administration: Child Care and Development Fund Program Overview
Indiana Capital Chronicle: Indiana Childcare Program Closed to New Enrollees Amid Waitlist
KFF: Child Care and Development Fund Federal and State Funding Overview
Indiana General Assembly: How to Find and Contact Your Legislators