Child care programs are an essential component of strong communities throughout the United States. They support young children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical well-being and are a vital cog in the economy, creating jobs in the child care sector and allowing parents to work. In rural America, families experience challenges accessing and affording child care that exceed those of urban areas. This framework explains the challenges, strategies, and solutions that are critical to the development of child care policies in rural regions. (author abstract)