DCYF offers several different funding opportunities for child care providers. To learn more, review the different grant opportunities:
As a result of the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, grant funds were available to help stabilize, support, and grow the diverse early learning workforce to rebuild a stronger child care system and expand access to affordable, high-quality child care.
Who was eligible?
Licensed or certified child care providers with an open license in good standing are eligible to apply. License-exempt Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers serving children receiving state subsidies are also eligible.
How much funding was available?
Individual grant amounts varied based on the provider type, licensed capacity, and demographic and subsidy data. Average grant amounts will totaled approximately:
- $750 - $1,400 for FFN
- $24,000 - $52,000 for Licensed Family Homes
- $24,000 - $59,000 for Small Child Care Centers (Licensed Capacity Less Than 50)
- $55,000 - $90,000 for Large Child Care Centers (Licensed Capacity Greater Than 50)
When was this grant available?
The Stabilization Grant application was available October 2021 – September 2022. This was a one-time, non-competitive grant.
Where can I find more information?
Needs-Based Grants are available for improving program quality. Grants may be used to assist with purchasing curriculum and instructional materials, supplies, equipment, focused infant-toddler improvements, environmental improvements, minor renovations to the child care facility, supports and materials or services for care of children with special needs, or other items as identified by the coach.
Who is eligible?
Early Achievers participants who have an open license in good standing may apply for the Needs-Based Grant if they meet at least one of the following:
- Are enrolled in the USDA Tier 1 food program.
- Are located within a school district that serves at least 20% low-income children based on Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) data.
How much funding is available?
Providers may request up to $1,000.
When can providers apply?
The Needs-Based Grant application is available each fiscal year. The grant application opens each year within the first week of July and remains open until all funds have been depleted. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. A provider may apply for a Needs-Based Grant one time each fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
Where can I find more information?
Complex Needs Funds are intended to promote inclusive, least-restrictive environments, and to support child care providers serving children who have developmental delays, disabilities, behavioral needs, and/or other unique needs.
Funding may be used for staffing, therapeutic services, facility improvements to comply with ADA accessibility requirements or behavioral needs, supportive and adaptive materials and equipment, and/or teacher-training.
Who is eligible?
Eligible providers include:
- Open licensed, certified, or certified-for-payment-only child care providers.*
- License-exempt Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers who have served at least one child on subsidy in four of the past six months, or two of the past three months and claim for subsidy through the Social Service Payment System (SSPS) at time of application.
*Licensed providers who are serving ECEAP slots are not eligible for the Child Care Complex Needs Fund. Instead, they should access Complex Needs Funds through their ECEAP contractor.
To be eligible, providers must have children currently enrolled in their care who have behavioral needs, developmental delays, disabilities, or other unique needs.
How much funding can a provider apply for?
Open licensed, certified, and certified-for-payment-only child care providers may request between $5,000 and $100,000.
License-exempt FFN providers who are eligible may request between $100 and $2,000.
When can providers apply?
The Complex Needs Fund FY 2023-24 is now open for applications.
Where can I find more information?
The Early Childhood Equity Grant helps support culturally responsive programming so that children have access to diverse care that meets their needs. The grant seeks to advance and inspire practices that promote inclusive and culturally responsive learning, environments, and enhanced language access.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility is open to:
- Licensed, certified, or certified for payment only child care providers with an open license in good standing.
- License-exempt Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) providers serving children receiving state subsidies.
- Licensed ECEAP/Early ECEAP sites
- ECEAP/Early ECEAP contractors
- Play and Learn Group Host Organizations recognized by Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA of WA) and currently receive funding and/or direct programming support from CCA of WA to actively provide direct and virtual education and materials to parents and FFN caregivers. This is the result of a contractual agreement between CCA of WA and the State of Washington and applies to Play and Learn Groups.
When can providers apply?
The Early Childhood Equity Grant Application is currently open! The application will close March 29, 2024 at 5p.m.
We currently expect that the Early Childhood Equity Grant will open for applications once per year. This may change in the future.
Where can I find more information?
See the Early Childhood Equity Grant webpage.
To be responsive to workforce retention concerns and help providers retain their staff, DCYF offered a workforce retention grant. Providers could use these funds to provide one-time payments to their workers in eligible roles.
Who was eligible?
The application was open to licensed or certified child care providers who were:
- Open and serving at least one enrolled child
- Had staff records up to date in MERIT
- Had applied for the Child Care Stabilization Grant
How much funding is available?
DCYF was able to put $13 million toward this opportunity. After the application closed, DCYF divided the available funding evenly among the total eligible child care workers across all applicants.
When could providers apply?
The Workforce Retention Grant application was available through October 20, 2022. This was a one-time, non-competitive grant.
Where can I find more information?
See the Workforce Retention Grant webpage.
Where to Find Assistance
Application Questions
If you have questions about a grant application, the timeline of a grant, or other questions specific to these grants, email dcyf.childcaregrants@dcyf.wa.gov.