Head Start Programs Unable To Access Federal Funding Due To Freeze

Dozens of Head Start programs are not able to access "pending" federal grant funds.

Multiple Head Start programs are unable to access approved federal funding due to a freeze imposed during the Trump administration, which has since been rescinded, according to the National Head Start Association (NHSA).

In a survey conducted by the NHSA, nearly 50 programs reported being unable to access funding approved by Congress. The organization estimates that more than 20,000 children and 6,000 employees are affected. Recipients are encountering error messages such as “pending” and “in progress” when trying to access funds from the grant. The lack of access to these funds increases the likelihood that pre-K and early childhood education programs will struggle to meet essential expenses, including employee wages.

The NHSA issued a statement urging the president and his administration to address the barriers hindering funding.

“Head Start is a lifeline for children and families in their most urgent times of need. We urge President Donald Trump and the acting leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately address the issues behind the unnecessary delays in Head Start funding,” the statement read.

“While it remains unclear why this delay is happening, it must be resolved immediately, or thousands of families and their children will be at risk of losing the critical early care and educational services they depend on to work, go to school, and develop.”

BLACK ENTERPRISE reported on the initial executive order that froze federal grant spending, sparking widespread panic among many organizations and individuals.

The Jan. 27 executive order, introduced by the Office of Management and Budget, was announced as a temporary measure allowing the Trump administration to examine “financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.”

The administration insisted that funding would not be provided to organizations that do not align with its agenda, even though the frozen funds had already been allocated and approved by Congress. In response to public outcry, the administration assured that the freeze would not affect essential government programs, including Social Security, veterans’ benefits, the Pell Grant program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

On Jan. 28, U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan struck down the order after 22 Democratic attorneys general filed suit. The administration subsequently rescinded the order. It remains unclear whether the Trump administration will seek to halt federal funding through another method.