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
Terre Haute Day Nursery Endowment Fund Grant Wabash Valley Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies The Terre Haute Day Nursery Endowment Fund Grant, offered by the Wabash Valley Community Foundation, aims to support quality childcare through program development and equipment funding.	Not published	Varies
Infant & Toddler Child Care Expansion Grant Buncombe County Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies To increase the availability of child care for children birth to two in Buncombe County.	Not published	Varies
Communityworks Endowment Fund (Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri) Community Foundation of the Quincy Area · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Communityworks Endowment Fund supports '501(c)(3) organizations or units of government that advances workforce development, childcare, and early childhood education in Adams, Brown, Hancock, and Pike Counties, IL'.	Rolling	Varies
Current Grant Opportunities Community Foundation of West Texas · Foundation Not published · Varies The Community Foundation of West Texas offers various grant opportunities for nonprofits and charitable organizations serving the West Texas region. Grants support diverse causes and community needs.	Not published	Varies
WAGS Childcare Grant Women and Girls in Soccer · Foundation Rolling · $1K – $80K The WAGS Childcare Grant is a first-of-its-kind $80,000 fund distributed to individual female coaches and semi-pro players to help them stay in the game by addressing childcare as a barrier to participation.	Rolling	$1K – $80K
Infant-Toddler Educator AWARD$ Plus Smart Start Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · $600 – $4K AWARD$ Plus provides salary supplements twice per year to infant and toddler educators based on education level.	Not published	$600 – $4K
NCCF: Community Impact Grants Noble County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Community Foundation of Noble County awards grants for innovative, creative projects and programs responsive to addressing community needs in Noble County. This includes operating support for such programs.	Not published	Varies
Herman H. Nettelroth Grant Herman H Nettelroth Fund Tuw · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: Prior to submitting an application or verifying eligibility, please contact the program officer._ Herman H. Nettelroth has a geographic focus of Jefferson County, KY The specific focus of the trust is equipping children's…	Not published	Varies
Lower Shore Child Care Resource Center Salisbury University · State Not published · Varies Offers coaching and technical assistance, and training to child-care providers on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland	Not published	Varies
Infant and Toddler Capacity Building Grant Program First Children’s Finance and the State of Vermont’s Child Development Division · State Not published · $600K – $4.5M Supports increasing the number of infant and toddler child care spaces (birth through 5 years) in Vermont through start-up of new programs, the expansion of existing programs that results in additional infant, toddler and preschool child…	Not published	$600K – $4.5M
City of Bellingham Community/Public Facility and Improvements Grants City of Bellingham · State Not published · $50K – $200K The City of Bellingham offers Community/Public Facility Improvement Grants aimed at enhancing facilities that benefit low-income individuals and areas.	Not published	$50K – $200K
Child Care Partnership Grant (CCPG) Economic Development Council of Mason County · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
UWNCO Community Relief Fund United Way of North Central Ohio Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies United Way of North Central Ohio established the Community Relief Fund to support local social services in response to the COVID-19 crisis and its consequences. The fund enables swift and strategic response to community needs.	Rolling	Varies
Emergency Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (E-HEAL) Grant Kansas Department of Commerce · Foundation Not published · Up to $100K The Emergency Historic Economic Asset Lifeline (E-HEAL) Grant aims to preserve rural downtown buildings threatened by demolition or collapse.	Not published	Up to $100K
Child Care Start-Up and Expansion Grant Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Child Care Start-Up and Expansion Grant offers financial assistance of up to $10,000 for child care centers and $5,000 for child care homes to enhance service capacity.	Not published	Up to $10K
Maryland Child Care Credential State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies To acknowledge and reward child care providers for exceeding the minimum requirements of licensing and registration in the areas of education, experience and professional activity.	Not published	Varies
480-50-3708 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Grant Illinois Department of Human Services: Division of Early Childhood · Foundation Not published · $750K – $1.8M The Department of Human Services Division of Early Childhood (DEC) was established as a standalone IDHS division in 2021 to help strengthen and centralize the state's existing child care, home visiting, and early intervention programs, as…	Not published	$750K – $1.8M
ChildcareTennessee Supplemental Grants The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
SDWF- Expanding Affordable, Accessible, and Quality Child Care Grant The San Diego Women's Foundation · Foundation Not published · $60K The San Diego Women’s Foundation is launching the SDWF-Expanding Affordable, Accessible, and Quality Child Care Grant to address the critical shortage of affordable child care for infants and toddlers (ages 0-4).	Not published	$60K
EEOST Capital Fund - Large Grant Round Children's Investment Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · $500K – $1M FY26 capital funding is available through the Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund.	Not published	$500K – $1M
Pittsburgh Foundation Basic Needs Grants: Child Care The Pittsburgh Foundation · Foundation Not published · $10K – $75K The Pittsburgh Foundation Basic Needs Grants for Child Care aims to enhance access to quality child care for low-income families, particularly those from BIPOC communities.	Not published	$10K – $75K
Child Care Quality Incentive Grant State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies To provide incentive grants to child care providers to help them acquire supplies and equipment to create stimulating learning environments.	Not published	Varies
Strategic Economic Expansion and Development (SEED) Grant Kansas Department of Commerce · Foundation Not published · $10K – $25K The SEED Grant program, administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce, aims to revitalize Kansas communities with populations under 5,000 through funding for quality-of-life projects.	Not published	$10K – $25K
Herman H. Nettelroth Grant PNC Charitable Trust · Foundation Not published · Varies The Herman H. Nettelroth Grant focuses on supporting children and families in Jefferson County, KY. It funds projects that enhance playgrounds, day nurseries, public libraries, and scholarships for the University of Louisville.	Not published	Varies

Showing 49–72 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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