Dr. Sarah Connelly and Lisa White of E-TEAM, and their co-authors, were awarded first place for their poster presentation at the 2025 Oklahoma Early Childhood Research Symposium. Their poster, titled The Subsidy Squeeze: How Child Care Providers Experience Benefits, Barriers, and the Eligibility Cliff in Categorical Programs, highlights findings from their mixed-methods evaluation of the categorical subsidy program, part of a larger evaluation of the Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five (PDG B-5). The study examined the impacts of a multi-year initiative that offered subsidies to child care professionals with young children, allowing them to access affordable child care regardless of income.  Qualitative data revealed that subsidies helped recipients meet basic needs and improve quality of life, while administrators leveraged them to support workforce recruitment, retention, and quality improvements. Quantitative findings showed that although some faced challenges during the initial application process, many benefited from discounted child care. However, persistent issues such as low wages and high turnover remain. The research underscores the importance of continuing and refining such programs to support vulnerable populations and strengthen the early child care workforce. A full manuscript is currently under review with the Early Childhood Education Journal.