Insights from Experts
Talking Points
Talking Points offers insights from experts on the topics we know are important to organizations working to strengthen communities, including organizational development, childcare, and housing stabilization. Our writers share their knowledge, research, and practical strategies for building the structures and systems you need to promote excellence in service delivery.
Talking Points is published a minimum of monthly. Subscribing also gives you access to our Monthly Round Up, where we highlight blog posts, upcoming events, and newsworthy research and reflections.
Balancing Data in Your Head Start Community Assessment Annual Review
When the Head Start Program Performance Standards were revised last year, there were changes to community assessment requirements about when a full update to the report is necessary. Programs must complete a comprehensive community assessment once during the five-year grant period, and an update is only required if significant changes are identified during an annual review. How can a program determine if there are significant changes, particularly if only a few data points must be examined in the annual review? Here, we explore this question and provide strategies for how to leverage the annual review as a meaningful planning tool.
Get Ready to Apply for One-Time Nutrition and Healthy Eating Funding
On July 29, 2025, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) issued a Program Instruction (PI), One-time Supplemental Funds for Nutrition and Healthy Eating for Head Start Children and Families ACF-OHS-PI-25-02, providing a description of supplemental funding that will be available to Head Start programs and how to apply. While there will be a webinar offered on Monday, August 4 to learn more about the process for requesting supplemental funds, we strongly encourage interested applicants to begin preparing now as there is a quick turnaround deadline (August 22) and it is unclear how long funding will be available. Here are a few ways you can prepare.
Six Tips for Responding to Federal Priorities in Head Start
Last month, we presented a webinar, Responding to Federal Priorities, to provide practical ways to operationalize federal guidance and identify strategies to think proactively about program activities. The webinar focused on the primary priorities as identified in Secretary Kennedy’s May testimony about the President’s HHS FY 2026 Budget, as well as two recent IMs - ACF-OHS-IM-25-03 Promoting Healthy Eating and Nutrition for Head Start Children and Families (March 2025) and ACF-OHS-IM-25-04 Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunities for Families in Head Start Programs (April 2025). Those priorities included increasing parental choice; improving health, education, and employment outcomes; increasing program delivery efficiency; and promoting parental engagement. Thank you to all who joined!
The Five Ws of Community Assessment Surveys, an Interview with My Linh Nguyen
My Linh Nguyen shares her insights on the value of stakeholder input in community needs assessments and how this data can be used to understand family, staff, and community needs. Ms. Nguyen is a consultant with Foundations for Families, specializing in community needs assessments, data research, and grant writing.
Community Action Agency & Head Start Efficiencies in Community Needs Assessments
In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act into effect, creating the first movement in the War on Poverty. Through this legislation, new programs were created to support low-income individuals and other vulnerable populations’ self-sufficiency and well-being. Two of the most groundbreaking programs coming out of the EOA were Community Action Agencies (CAAs) and Head Start.
Planning Your Community Assessment with the New HSPPS Final Rule
The new year is a great time for organizations to set goals and build capacity! Foundations for Families can help you meet the updated standards for Community Assessment so that you fully understand the strengths, needs, and resources available in your service area.On February 11, we will be at the Region IV Annual Training Conference and Expo in Atlanta facilitating a pre-conference workshop on Community Assessment and the Final Rule. At this all-day session, your program will learn how to use the latest data to tell your community’s story.
Data Tips for Estimating the Number of Children Income-Eligible for HS/EHS
Last year was a time of transition with the release of updated Head Start Program Performance Standards, new funding available through Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) and Early Head Start Expansion grants, and competition for DRS grants in many states throughout the country. All this while programs juggle enrollment, staffing, and evolving community needs.
Changes to Community Assessment in the 2024 HSPPS Final Rule
When the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) published a new rule making changes to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (Performance Standards), the Office of Head Start (OHS) described these changes as serving three primary purposes: increasing compensation for Head Start staff, integrating mental health services, and effectively meeting the evolving needs of communities. Community assessment is foundational to program planning and meeting community needs. Here, we explore what’s the same and what’s different about community assessment in the new Performance Standards.
Community Assessments Reveal Widespread Affordable Housing Challenges, an Interview with Nicole Lessard
Nicole Lessard shares her insights on the value of community needs assessments and how data can be used for program planning and to meet families’ needs. Ms. Lessard is a consultant with Foundations for Families, specializing in community needs assessments, data research, and grant writing. She is experienced working with Head Start/Early Head Start programs across the country.
How to Conduct a Meaningful and Responsive Community Assessment
Community assessments are a foundational requirement for Head Start/Early Head Start programs and have taken on new significance and utility as programs navigate unprecedented staffing shortages, participation in the Full Enrollment Initiative, and evolving community needs. Some programs are also planning for a Change in Scope Request, which requires a justification built on up-to-date and relevant community and program data.
Annual Report: Providing Enrollment Data Alongside Community Context
Head Start annual reporting is established in Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), Section §1302.102(d)(2), and is required in the Head Start Act, Section 644(a)(2). To fully address requirements, programs must include a summary of their most recent community assessment in the annual report. Including a summary of the community assessment provides an opportunity to highlight community needs and also offers a chance to provide important context related to other required areas of annual reporting.
Community Assessment Updates Provide Important Data for Program Planning
Annual updates to Head Start/Early Head Start community assessments have taken on new significance and utility as programs navigate unprecedented staffing shortages and evolving family needs. Many programs are also planning for a Change in Scope Request, which requires a justification built on up-to-date and relevant community and program data.
How to Plan for a Successful Change in Scope Request
Underenrollment action planning is well on its way for some Head Start/Early Head Start programs, and will be soon for many more. Whether responding to an underenrollment letter that has been received, or one expected soon, submitting a Change in Scope Request to the Office of Head Start (OHS) is one strategy programs might consider to mitigate underenrollent challenges and deal with an ongoing child care workforce staffing crisis.
Underenrollment Action Planning Begins for Many HS/EHS Programs
Underenrollment is a longstanding issue faced by many Head Start/Early Head Start programs. It continues to present a major challenge for programs and is now coupled with an unprecedented child care staffing crisis. 2023 is the first year the Full Enrollment Initiative is being implemented since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and an estimated 225 grant recipients just received letters designating their program as chronically underenrolled.
Exploring Inflation and Its Impact on Low-Income Households
In the United States, inflation is at an all-time high. This information probably doesn’t come as a surprise! During the summer of 2022, inflation reached 9.1%, the highest rate in four-decades. In this blog post, we explore inflation, how it affects families, and how programs serving children and families might use this data.
Funding Highlights from 2022 NHSA Fall Leadership Institute
The 2022 National Head Start Association (NHSA) Fall Leadership Institute took place September 19-22 in Washington, DC. It was a welcome opportunity to see colleagues in person, as the last couple years it has taken place virtually. One aspect of the conference that was particularly interesting from the funding perspective was Updates from the Office of Head Start. We learned about big picture and program-specific funding opportunities.