ACF Announces $140 Million in Grants to Expand Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships

Yesterday, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) released a funding forecast for an additional $140 million in grants to expand Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships (EHS-CCPs) and Early Head Start programs. Established in 2013, the first cohort of EHS-CCP grants were awarded in 2015 and have successfully expanded access to the high-quality learning and comprehensive services of Early Head Start to thousands of low-income infants and toddlers in child care settings. These new grants will build on this success and create additional partnerships between Early Head Start and other child care providers.

Currently, Early Head Start does not have nearly enough capacity to serve all eligible children. EHS-CCP grants aim to incorporate the strengths of Early Head Start into other child care settings elevate the quality of these programs that reach more children. To date, more than 32,000 infants and toddlers have benefited from the partnerships and more than 8,000 teachers and staff are receiving enhanced professional development through the partnerships. The initial grantees have leveraged the innovative partnership model to maximize funding, while preserving their autonomy, to improve learning and care for children. You can learn more about EHS-CCPs and read profiles of some grantees here.

According to the funding forecast, ACF expects to make 60 awards ranging from $750,000 to $8 million. This funding forecast includes money for both Fiscal Year 2018 and 2019. Public and private organizations, as well as states, are eligible to apply for the grants.

The next steps for the EHS-CCP grant applications will be further clarified when the official Funding Announcement Opportunity is released, which the forecast estimates will be November 1, 2018.

To read the funding forecast, click here.