Applying for the PDG B-5 SMART Grant?

A short window for a lasting investment

States have a valuable, and short, window in front of them. The Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five (PDG B-5) SMART Grant offers a one-year opportunity to invest in the early care and education data and technology infrastructure that helps leaders make better decisions for children and families.

The timeline is tight and the choices are consequential. Which option to pursue, how much to take on in a single year, how to meet the state match, and how to earn the bonus points all shape how competitive an application will be. The National TA Collaborative to Maximize Federal Early Childhood Investments wants every state that applies to have the support it needs to submit its strongest possible application.

Key details

• Application deadline: November 20, 2026
• Eligibility: Forty states and five U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) are eligible to apply. These jurisdictions are NOT eligible to apply: District of Columbia, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.
• Awards: Approximately 25 grants, ranging from $500,000 to $15 million

Join the webinar on October 27
On Tuesday, October 27 at 1 PM ET, the Collaborative will host a free webinar on the PDG B-5 SMART Grant application: what to consider, where states can gain an edge, and how to get the bonus points. Register for the webinar.

The session will cover:

• Option 1 and Option 2: which option best fits your state’s priorities and existing capacity
• Scoping a one-year project: what is feasible, and what to plan for with procurement
• State match: what to know as you plan your budget
• Scoring criteria and application strategies: how reviewers will read your application
• Bonus points: what it takes to earn them

Bring your questions
The webinar is built around what state teams are working through right now. When you register, you can submit questions in advance, and presenters will address them during the session. You can also ask questions live during the question-and-answer portion of the webinar.

Support beyond the webinar
The webinar is just the start. The Collaborative will also offer office hours for more in-depth conversations, along with free reviews of pre-submission drafts, whether that is a full application or an individual section. Teams that want a second set of eyes before they submit are encouraged to take advantage of this support.

Start with your state’s priorities, not the technology
As states plan, colleagues at the Early Childhood Data Collaborative at Child Trends offer helpful guidance in Five Ways for States to Maximize the PDG B-5 SMART Grant. Drawing on more than 15 years of work with states on early childhood data systems, the authors stress that strong data systems are not built by technology alone. They start with a clear sense of the policy questions a state needs to answer.

Their five considerations make a useful planning checklist:

• Identify policy priorities before selecting tools and technology.
• Assess the infrastructure and capacity your state already has.
• Prioritize analytics that leaders and partners can act on.
• Invest in systems that improve the experience for families.
• Plan for sustainability from the beginning.

The piece also highlights North Carolina, which previously used PDG B-5 funding to strengthen and connect its existing early childhood data systems rather than build new ones. It is a strong example of what a focused, one-time investment can accomplish.

Who is behind this effort
The National TA Collaborative to Maximize Federal Early Childhood Investments is a group of more than two dozen national organizations, including the BUILD Initiative. Its members have long supported states in applying for, implementing, and documenting the impact of federal systems-building grants like PDG B-5.

To support your planning and writing, the BUILD Initiative has gathered a curated set of PDG B-5 SMART Grant resources.

Register and share
If you are part of a state team preparing an application, or you know someone who is, register for the October 27 webinar and forward this post to colleagues who should be in the room. Please also let us know what other support would be helpful as your state makes the most of this opportunity for young children and their families.