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How the guarantee works →Wisconsin child care assistance.
The program that helps Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Program | Wisconsin SharesSource: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026. |
| Run by | Wisconsin Department of Children and FamiliesSource: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026. |
For families: who can apply
- Families must meet the income rules and have children under age 13, or under 19 for a child with a disability.Source: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Parents must be working or taking part in another approved activity, such as education.Source: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Families must live in Wisconsin, and their children must be U.S. citizens or qualifying immigrants.Source: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
For families: how to apply
- Families apply online through ACCESS, or by calling or visiting their local Income Maintenance Agency.Source: How to Apply for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.Apply for Wisconsin Shares on ACCESS
For providers: how to take part
- A provider must be certified or licensed and take part in the YoungStar quality rating system.Source: Wisconsin Shares for Child Care Providers, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- The provider must have a YoungStar quality rating of at least 2 Stars.Source: Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186), Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Providers caring for Wisconsin Shares families must have a written payment agreement with each family.Source: Wisconsin Shares for Child Care Providers, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- The state has a page for providers who want to accept Wisconsin Shares.Source: Wisconsin Shares for Child Care Providers, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.Providers who want to accept Wisconsin Shares
Limits Wisconsin publishes
Each figure as the program publishes it, with the date the source gives.
| What | Figure | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit to apply, share of the Federal Poverty Level | 200%Source: How to Apply for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026. | February 1, 2026 |
| Income limit to stay eligible, share of state median income | 85%Source: How to Apply for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy Program, Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026. | February 1, 2026 |
Questions about child care assistance in Wisconsin
What is the child care assistance program in Wisconsin called?
Wisconsin Shares. It is run by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.
Who can apply for child care assistance in Wisconsin?
Families must meet the income rules and have children under age 13, or under 19 for a child with a disability. Parents must be working or taking part in another approved activity, such as education. Families must live in Wisconsin, and their children must be U.S. citizens or qualifying immigrants.
How do families apply in Wisconsin?
Families apply online through ACCESS, or by calling or visiting their local Income Maintenance Agency. Official page: https://access.wi.gov/s/?language=en_US
How does a child care provider take part in Wisconsin?
A provider must be certified or licensed and take part in the YoungStar quality rating system. The provider must have a YoungStar quality rating of at least 2 Stars. Providers caring for Wisconsin Shares families must have a written payment agreement with each family.
Sources
Every source is an official government page.
- How to Apply for the Wisconsin Shares Child Care Subsidy ProgramWisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Wisconsin Shares Eligibility Guidelines (DCF-P-5186)Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
- Wisconsin Shares for Child Care ProvidersWisconsin Department of Children and Families. Checked November 3, 2026.
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 Wisconsin
- Wisconsin child care licensing
Ratios, required training and official rules for programs.
- Child care assistance in every state
Each page links every fact to the official page it came from.
Child care assistance in other states
- Alabama
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
- Alaska
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Alaska Department of Health.
- Arizona
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Arizona Department of Economic Security.
- Arkansas
School Readiness Assistance, run by the Arkansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood.
- California
CalWORKs Child Care, run by the California Department of Social Services.
- Colorado
Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
- Connecticut
Care 4 Kids, run by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.
- Delaware
Purchase of Care, run by the Delaware Division of Social Services.
- District of Columbia
DC Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE).
- Florida
School readiness program, run by the Florida Department of Education.
- Georgia
Childcare and Parent Services, run by the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.
- Hawaii
Child Care Subsidy, run by the Hawaii Department of Human Services.
- Idaho
Idaho Child Care Program, run by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
- Illinois
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Illinois Department of Early Childhood.
- Indiana
Child Care and Development Fund, run by the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.
- Iowa
Child Care Assistance, run by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
- Kansas
Child Care Assistance, run by the Kansas Department for Children and Families.
- Kentucky
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Division of Child Care.
- Louisiana
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Louisiana Department of Education.
- Maine
Child Care Affordability Program, run by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
- Massachusetts
Child Care Financial Assistance, run by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care.
- Michigan
Child Development and Care, run by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.
- Minnesota
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
- Mississippi
Child Care Payment Program, run by the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
- Missouri
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Childhood.
- Montana
Best Beginnings Child Care Scholarship, run by the Montana DPHHS Early Childhood and Family Support Division.
- Nebraska
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.
- Nevada
Child Care and Development Program, run by the Nevada Division of Social Services.
- New Hampshire
NH Child Care Scholarship Program, run by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Child Development and Head Start Collaboration.
- New Jersey
New Jersey Child Care Assistance Program, run by the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development.
- New Mexico
Child Care Assistance, run by the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department.
- New York
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
- North Carolina
Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program, run by the NC DHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education.
- North Dakota
Child Care Assistance Program, run by the North Dakota Health and Human Services.
- Ohio
Publicly Funded Child Care, run by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.
- Oklahoma
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Oklahoma Human Services.
- Oregon
Employment Related Day Care, run by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care.
- Pennsylvania
Child Care Works, run by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
- Rhode Island
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), run by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services.
- South Dakota
Child Care Assistance, run by the South Dakota Department of Social Services.
- Tennessee
Child Care Payment Assistance, run by the Tennessee Department of Human Services.
- Texas
Child Care Services, run by the Texas Workforce Commission.
- Utah
Employment Support Child Care, run by the Department of Workforce Services.
- Vermont
Child Care Financial Assistance Program, run by the Vermont Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division.
- Virginia
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Virginia Department of Education.
- Washington
Working Connections Child Care, run by the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
- West Virginia
Child Care Assistance, run by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Family Assistance.
- Wyoming
Child Care Subsidy Program, run by the Wyoming Department of Family Services.
Billing a family with a subsidy
- See billing in Bloomily
In Bloomily, you record the subsidy once. Invoices split between the agency and the family, and each side sees its share.
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