Grants for Daycare

Last updated October 24, 2026

Grantable tracks 124 active grants for daycare in its free grants database, drawn from state and foundation sources and updated daily. 4 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 58 list an award amount, with a median of $38K.

Grants tracked: 124; from 91 funders
Median award: $38K; middle half $5,000–$100K
Total listed funding: $22.3M; across 58 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 9; 2 with a published date

On this page: State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
La Plata Childcare Investment Fund La Plata Economic Development Alliance · Foundation Not published · $800K – $2.2M To create new childcare slots and support early childhood education system in La Plata County by increasing educator wages and expanding/stabilizing childcare facilities.	Not published	$800K – $2.2M
Child Care WAGE$ Program Guilford County Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Child Care WAGE$ Program provides education-based salary supplements to individuals working with children birth to five. The program is designed to increase retention, education, and compensation.	Not published	Varies
CCR&R SRTC Workforce Echo Grant Agenda for Children · Foundation Not published · $1K The CCR&R SRTC Workforce Echo Grant aims to support childcare providers in Louisiana by offering workforce retention funds.	Not published	$1K
CFMT: Support and Enhancement Grants - Child Care Agencies The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The CFMT Support and Enhancement Grants provide vital funding for child care agencies in Tennessee, offering a minimum of $4,000 to enhance equipment, programs, and access to coaches or consultants.	Not published	Up to $5K
Pueblo Day Nursery Children's Foundation Grant Pueblo Day Nursery · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The Pueblo Day Nursery Children's Foundation Grant, established in 1926, supports tax-exempt organizations benefiting children in Pueblo, Colorado.	Not published	Up to $5K
Quality Improvement Grants Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Maryland EXCELS State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies Establishes the State Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) for early childhood education programs and school age care programs to increase the number of high quality early childhood and school-age care programs.	Not published	Varies
Community Response Fund Fremont Area Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · Varies Rapidly deploy resources to nonprofit organizations in response to urgent community crises (established in response to COVID-19).	Rolling	Varies
CFMT: Safety Supplemental Grants The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $4K The CFMT: Safety Supplemental Grants provide up to $4,000 to licensed child care programs in Tennessee aiming to enhance safety and security.	Not published	Up to $4K
Child Care Subsidy State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies To provide financial assistance to eligible families in securing child care for their children while they work, are in training, or in an education program.	Not published	Varies
MN Child Care Assistance Program Mahube-Otwa Community Action Partnership Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies State program that assists families with child care costs.	Not published	Varies
Childcare Expansion Grant Program Valley Health Foundation (VHF) · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
ACF Early Childhood Grantmaking Program Aspen Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Aspen Community Foundation (ACF) is dedicated to supporting children and families living in the Aspen to Parachute region.	Not published	Varies
Rural Child Care Planning Grant Program (IA) Iowa Economic Development Authority · Foundation Not published · Up to $20K The Rural Child Care Planning Grant Program in Iowa aims to assist rural communities in analyzing their child care needs. With a $20,000 grant, applicants must provide a $10,000 cash match to secure funding for strategic solutions.	Not published	Up to $20K
Quality Improvement Incentive Grant (0-3 Star Facilities) Smart Start of Pender County · Foundation Not published · Varies Assists eligible 0-3 star child care facilities in increasing the quality of care provided to young children.	Not published	Varies
Mayor's Disaster Relief Fund The Dallas Foundation · Foundation Not published · $25K A fund sponsored by The Dallas Foundation, initially created in 2005 to help shelter Hurricane Katrina refugees. Reactivated during COVID-19 pandemic to support nonprofits addressing disaster-related needs in Dallas.	Not published	$25K
Women's Giving Circle of Chautauqua County - Grantmaking Program Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $50K	Not published	$50K
Park City and Summit County Childcare Scholarships Park City Community Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $200 – $2K Local childcare scholarships funded by Park City ($1 million) and Summit County ($130,000) investments to support the stability of the local childcare industry and make care more affordable for families.	Rolling	$200 – $2K
Bethany Legacy Foundation Grant: Short Application Bethany Legacy Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $50K There are three types of BLF Grants/Applications: Long Application; Short Application; and Capacity Building Application.Projects requesting $50,000 or less do not need to submit a pre‑application; applicants will submit a full proposal by…	Not published	Up to $50K
West Side Vitality Grant The Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant 4CS of Passaic County Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies To help recruit new staff into the child care workforce and to reward and retain current staff	Not published	Varies
Lee & Florence Kvalnes Charitable Fund Grant Delaware Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · $250 – $500 The Lee & Florence Kvalnes Charitable Fund, managed by the Delaware Community Foundation, provides small grants to support educational programming for at-risk families in Delaware.	Not published	$250 – $500
Goleta Child Care Grant Santa Barbara Foundation · Foundation Not published · Up to $15K The Goleta Child Care Grant, offered by the Santa Barbara Foundation, addresses the critical shortage of quality child care in Goleta, where demand greatly exceeds supply.	Not published	Up to $15K
Humboldt Child Care Stabilization Fund - Educational Loan Forgiveness Arcata Economic Development Corporation · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies

Showing 25–48 of 123

About grants for daycare

Childcare grants help centers start, expand, and improve their programs. The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the largest federal source, distributed through state agencies. Additional funding comes from Head Start, USDA child nutrition programs, and foundations focused on early childhood development.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for daycare award?

Of the 124 grants for daycare Grantable lists as of October 24, 2026, 58 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $38K, and the middle half fall between $5,000 and $100K. The largest is $4.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most grants for daycare?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are State Department of Education (8), The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc (8), 4CS of Passaic County Inc (4), Columbus County Partnership for Children Inc (3), and Kansas Department of Commerce (3). In all, 91 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are grants for daycare due?

Of 124 grants listed, 9 accept applications on a rolling basis, 2 have a published upcoming deadline, 28 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 85 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

How do I get a grant to start a daycare center?

Start with your state's Child Care Resource and Referral agency, which can connect you to local startup grants. The SBA offers small business grants applicable to childcare. Many states have specific childcare business grants. The USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program can offset meal costs. Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) also provide startup funding for childcare businesses.

What is the Child Care and Development Fund?

CCDF is the primary federal funding source for childcare, providing about $12 billion annually to states. States use CCDF to subsidize childcare for low-income families, improve childcare quality, and support the childcare workforce. Providers can access CCDF through their state childcare subsidy program.

Are there grants for childcare facility improvements?

Yes. Many states offer facility grants for childcare centers — including playground equipment, safety improvements, and ADA compliance. The USDA provides grants for rural childcare facilities. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) can fund childcare infrastructure, and some foundations specifically support early childhood facility projects.

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