Child Care Grants

Last updated September 28, 2026

There are currently 493 open child care grants in Grantable's free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 194 list an award amount, with a median of $25K.

Open grants: 493; from 349 funders
Median award: $25K; middle half $6,000–$100K
Total listed funding: $79.2M; across 194 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 39; 22 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Child Care Grant Programs Northwest Minnesota Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Northwest Minnesota Foundation has been aggressively bolstering and improving the opportunities for child care professionals to be successful.	Rolling	Varies
Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program Early Connections Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Early childhood educators who work at least 25 hours/week providing care to infants and pre-school aged children can earn a no-cost Child Development Associate (CDA) credential through this apprenticeship program.	Rolling	Varies
Smart Start Subsidy Columbus County Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies This scholarship program provides assistance with the cost of child care to qualified parents with children ages birth to five.	Rolling	Varies
Family Engagement Prize Early Learning Indiana Inc · Foundation Rolling · $25K Award recognizing early learning programs for innovative methods of involving parents in their programs. This prize acknowledges excellence in family engagement practices.	Rolling	$25K
Dr. Chao-ying & Sue Wu Early Learning Scholarship Grant Chuckanut Health Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Dr. Chao-ying & Sue Wu Early Learning Scholarship, established by the Chuckanut Health Foundation in 2022, honors the vital contributions of Dr. Chao-ying and Sue Wu to the health and education of Whatcom youth.	Rolling	Varies
DFD Child Care and Disability Travel Assistance Grant American Physical Society · Foundation Rolling · Up to $200 The American Physical Society (APS) offers the DFD Child Care and Disability Travel Assistance grant to support members attending virtual meetings.	Rolling	Up to $200
MERA Award (Merit and/or ERA Award) Community Services for Children Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provide merit and/or expansion-related financial awards to early learning providers at various STAR levels engaged in continuous quality improvement. Pennsylvania early learning and child care programs	Rolling	Varies
Community Response Fund The Amazing X Charitable Trust · Foundation Rolling · Varies Emergency response fund established March 19, 2020, to rapidly deploy resources to nonprofit organizations during crises (such as COVID-19 pandemic).	Rolling	Varies
GSCF: Fund for Early Childhood Care, Education & Development Grants Greater Salina Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The GSCF Fund for Early Childhood Care, Education & Development Grants aims to prepare children in Ottawa and Saline Counties for kindergarten.	Rolling	Varies
Family Child Care Professional Learning Cohort Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families · Foundation Rolling · Varies Selected family child care providers participate in a deep dive learning cohort focused on best practices in outdoor learning environments.	Rolling	Varies
General Grant Program Ohio Childrens Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $600 – $20K	Rolling	$600 – $20K
SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education) Grant Down East Partnership for Children · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Child Development and Early Education Grant Opportunities State Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Franklin County RISE Idea Fund Future Ready Five · Foundation Rolling · $15K Funding opportunity for early childcare providers across Franklin County to invest in innovative strategies that improve outcomes for young children and families in their care.	Rolling	$15K
Tait Foundation Grants Frank M Tait Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $5K – $85K The Tait Foundation Grants aim to support innovative early childhood education programs for under-resourced families and children aged 0-8 in Montgomery County, Ohio.	Rolling	$5K – $85K
West Bend Community Foundation - Early Childhood Education Grant Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $5K The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world.	Rolling	Up to $5K
Guttman Foundation Grant Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation Grant supports programs for low-income infants, toddlers, and preschoolers transitioning to kindergarten, emphasizing quality improvement and service expansion in high-need neighborhoods.	Rolling	Varies
CFMT: Expansion Grant The Community Foundation of Middle · Foundation Rolling · Varies ChildcareTennessee administers a variety of grants to child care programs licensed with the Tennessee Department of Human Services to support early childhood education in Tennessee.	Rolling	Varies
Frey Foundation Grant Frey Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Frey Foundation Grant focuses on enhancing community well-being through initiatives in four key areas: Building Community, Children & Families, Community Arts, and Environment.	Rolling	Varies
Enrollment and Movement Incentives Community Services for Children Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provide grants to early learning programs not eligible for other STARS financial awards and/or support expansion of regulated childcare programs in targeted high-risk or moderate-high risk rural counties.	Rolling	Varies
Grants for Childcare Programs in Cabarrus County Cabarrus County Partnership for · Foundation Rolling · Varies To stabilize early childhood providers and reverse the trend of diminishing capacity in child care over the next two years, and help with the transition of QRIS reform process for licensing of regulated child care.	Rolling	Varies
Child Care Assistance Program Dallas County Local Workforce Development Board · Foundation Rolling · Varies WFSDallas provides financial assistance to eligible families to reduce the burden of child care costs and support access to quality early childhood education.	Rolling	Varies
Preschool Scholarship Program United Way of Cowlitz County · Foundation Rolling · Varies	Rolling	Varies
Erie's Future Fund Scholarship Early Connections Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies A high-quality preschool scholarship for income-eligible families of children up to two years prior to Kindergarten eligibility, who reside in Erie County.	Rolling	Varies

Showing 457–480 of 490

About child care grants

Child care grants fund early childhood programs, preschool, Head Start and Early Head Start, family child care, and child development initiatives. The Child Care and Development Block Grant provides the largest federal funding stream, with additional support from the Department of Education, USDA, and early childhood-focused foundations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do child care grants award?

Of the 493 open child care grants Grantable lists as of September 28, 2026, 194 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $25K, and the middle half fall between $6,000 and $100K. The largest is $10M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most child care grants?

By number of open listings, the most active funders are Early Childhood (13), State Department of Education (11), Minnesota Child Care Resource and (8), The Community Foundation of Middle (8), and 4CS of Passaic County Inc (5). In all, 349 funders have at least one open grant in this category.

When are child care grants due?

Of 493 open grants, 39 accept applications on a rolling basis, 22 have a published upcoming deadline, 117 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 315 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 45% fall in January–March.

What is the difference between childcare grants and Head Start?

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provides subsidies for working families to afford childcare and quality improvement funds for providers. Head Start is a separate, comprehensive program providing free preschool, health services, and family support for low-income children. Both are federally funded but operate through different channels and serve different (sometimes overlapping) populations.

Can family child care providers get grants?

Yes. Family child care homes qualify for CCDBG quality improvement funds, USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program reimbursements, state quality rating system incentives, and various foundation grants. Many states have specific startup and improvement grants for family child care providers. T.E.A.C.H. scholarship programs support provider education.

Are there grants for childcare worker wages?

This is a growing focus area. Some states use ARPA funds for childcare workforce stabilization grants. CCDBG allows states to set reimbursement rates that support better wages. Foundations like the Buffett Early Childhood Fund and Pritzker Children's Initiative fund workforce compensation efforts. The T.E.A.C.H. and WAGE$ programs address provider compensation.

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