- Single Soldiers/single Army Civilian employees.
- Dual-military Soldiers/dual Army Civilian employees
- Active-duty Soldiers (to include activated Guard and Reserve Soldiers)/Army Civilian employees with a working spouse/domestic partner. **
- Active-duty Soldiers (to include activated Guard and Reserve Soldiers)/Army Civilian employees with a spouse/domestic partner enrolled in a post-secondary educational program. **
Army Fee Assistance (AFA)* is the Army’s contribution toward the total cost of child care for Army Families. The program assists eligible Army Families in locating, selecting, and offsetting the cost of civilian child care when on-base child care is not available or a viable option for the service member and their Family. Fee Assistance buys down the higher cost of off post care allowing eligible Families to pay fees comparable to those charged at the Installation.
The intent of Army Fee Assistance Program is to help meet the needs of Families who cannot access on post Army Child and Youth Services programs. The Army Fee Assistance program is available in CONUS and may include full-time, part-time, before & after school, for eligible children ages 6 weeks through 12 years.
The Army Fee Assistance program is administered by Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA). Providers and Parents must apply via the CCAoA website. Eligibility and program placement will be determined based on Army Child and Youth Services (CYS) guidance, as per current year school fee policy, IAW Army policy. For more information about eligibility requirements and fee assistance application instructions see FAQ’s below or, call +1(800) 424-2246, or visit Child Care Aware of America
*The program is not an entitlement program and is subject to availability of funds, which can be discontinued at any time.
Who is eligible for the AFA Program?
There are no income limits for the Army Fee Assistance program
**A spouse/domestic partner must be employed or enrolled in school for a minimum of 25 hours per week for full-time eligibility, and between 16 and 24 hours per week for part-time eligibility.
How do I apply for AFA Program?
Families can apply for Army Fee Assistance using the link: https://fap.americasteamforchildcare.org
To find out what supporting documents need to be submitted with your application visit the FAQ link.
How can I find an eligible provider in my area?
To find out more about providers eligibility for the program visit:
https://www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/feeassistancerespiteproviders/feeassistance/.
Our third-party contractor - CCAoA can assist Families finding an eligible provider by conducting a customized childcare search considering your home and work address, transportation routes to and from work, hours of care needed, ages of the children, and childcare providers eligibility and availability. Contact CCAoA at 1-800-424-2246 for assistance with finding a qualified provider or to find out if your current child care provider qualifies for the program.
For additional information about the program view FAQ
