Minnesota child care assistance.

The program that helps Minnesota families pay for child care, who can apply, how to apply, and how providers take part. Last checked November 3, 2026.

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The program in Minnesota

WhatDetails
ProgramChild Care Assistance ProgramSource: Child Care Assistance Program, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
Run byMinnesota Department of Children, Youth, and FamiliesSource: Child Care Assistance Program County Data, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: who can apply

  • The family must have a low income and an eligible work or education activity.Source: Child Care Assistance Program County Data, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • Children must be 12 or younger, or 14 or younger with special needs.Source: Child Care Assistance Program County Data, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
  • The program helps pay for care while you work, look for a job, go to school, or follow an employment plan.Source: Child Care Assistance Program, Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.

For families: how to apply

For providers: how to take part

Questions about child care assistance in Minnesota

What is the child care assistance program in Minnesota called?

Child Care Assistance Program. It is run by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Who can apply for child care assistance in Minnesota?

The family must have a low income and an eligible work or education activity. Children must be 12 or younger, or 14 or younger with special needs. The program helps pay for care while you work, look for a job, go to school, or follow an employment plan.

How do families apply in Minnesota?

Families apply online through MNbenefits, or contact their county or Tribal agency with questions. Official page: https://mnbenefits.mn.gov/

How does a child care provider take part in Minnesota?

Providers licensed or certified by Minnesota, licensed by a Tribal nation, or licensed by another state can register. Family, friend and neighbor caregivers may register as legal nonlicensed providers. A DCYF registration allows payment from any CCAP agency, is valid for two years, and then must be renewed.

Sources

Every source is an official government page.

About this page

We read each source above on an official government site on November 3, 2026. Each fact links to the page it came from.

If a fact is not here, we could not read it on an official page, so we left it out.

Programs change their rules, limits and forms. Confirm with the agency before you apply or enroll as a provider.

This page is a summary of public information. Bloomily does not run these programs or decide who qualifies.

More about child care in Minnesota

Child care assistance in other states

Billing a family with a subsidy

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