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

Find the grants for daycare matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 123 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
UWGNB Innovation Challenge Grant United Way of Greater New Bedford Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies United Way of Greater New Bedford (UWGNB) We envision a region where all people have access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.	Not published	Varies
Child Care Program Development State Department of Education · State Not published · Varies Improve the quality, availability, and affordability of early childhood development and before-and-after school services. County Government, For-Profit, Individuals, Municipalities/Towns, Non-Profit, Regional, State Colleges	Not published	Varies
DELCO Child Care COVID Support Child Care Professionals Network · Foundation Not published · $40 This program provides tuition assistance to families in Delaware County, PA by reimbursing approved Early Care and Education (ECE) programs $40.00 per scheduled service day per approved child.	Not published	$40
NJ ARP Stabilization Grant 4CS of Passaic County Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies To help pay for operating expenses for child care centers and family child care	Not published	Varies
Quality Maintenance Bonus Incentive Grant (4-5 Star Facilities) Smart Start of Pender County · Foundation Not published · Varies Assists eligible 4-5 Star child care facilities in maintaining high quality of care they provide to young children.	Not published	Varies
King County PSTAA General Child Care Facilities Fund (GCCFF) Enterprise Community Partners Inc · Foundation Not published · $10K A Request for Proposal (RFP) utilizing King County PSTAA General Child Care Facilities Funds to expand and strengthen the early learning system in King County.	Not published	$10K
TEFFI Seed Grant Opportunity Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K – $50K Support the economic revitalization of Kansas communities under 5,000 population through investments in quality-of-life initiatives.	Not published	$5K – $50K
Dubuque County Child Care Solutions Fund Grant: Wage Support Supplement Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque · Foundation Not published · Up to $1K The Dubuque County Child Care Solutions Fund Grant provides vital wage support for childcare providers in Dubuque County.	Not published	Up to $1K
Quality Improvement Grant Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services · Foundation Not published · Up to $500 The Quality Improvement Grant, offered by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, provides up to $500 to licensed Child Care Homes and Centers to enhance their programs.	Not published	Up to $500
Dubuque County Child Care Solutions Fund Grant: AccessDubuqueJobs.com Investment Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque · Foundation Not published · Varies The Dubuque County Child Care Solutions Fund Grant, administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, aims to enhance childcare access and quality in the region.	Not published	Varies
Early Learning Scholarship Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative · Foundation Not published · Varies The Early Learning Scholarships helps working families pay for the high cost of quality care for children through scholarships.	Not published	Varies
WY Quality Counts Wyoming Department of Workforce Services · State Not published · Varies The WY Quality Counts' mission is to raise awareness about why quality child care matters for Wyoming's children. This program assists with funding costs related to training and education in early childhood.	Not published	Varies
Youth & Families - Early Childhood Grant Lehigh Valley Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: NOTE: LVCF will not run an open application cycle in the 2024-2025 grantmaking cycle.	Not published	Varies
Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families - Child Care Equity Grant YMCA Snohomish Qalicb · Foundation Not published · $94K This grant supports the YMCA of Snohomish County's Heatherwood Early Childhood Education Center in creating culturally-responsive, inclusive programming. YMCA of Snohomish County - Heatherwood Early Childhood Education Center	Not published	$94K
Strengthen Indy Child Care Grant Child Care Answers of Central Indiana · Foundation Not published · $300K	Not published	$300K
Early Childhood Education Support Fund Grant Bartlesville Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $500 – $1K The Early Childhood Education Support Fund, managed by the Bartlesville Community Foundation, aims to provide essential financial support to licensed childcare providers in Washington County, Oklahoma.	Not published	$500 – $1K
Family Child Care Facilities Fund RFP Grant King County Department of Community and Human Services · State Not published · Up to $50K The Family Child Care Facilities Fund RFP, launched by the King County Department of Community and Human Services, aims to enhance access to quality early learning opportunities.	Not published	Up to $50K
Community Priorities Fund Grant Grand Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Community Priorities Fund Grant, established by the Grand County Board of County Commissioners, aims to enhance the quality of life in Grand County, Colorado, through targeted support for childcare, housing, and local tourism.	Not published	Varies
Children & Family Resource Center Early Childhood Supplement Program Smart Start Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · $600 CFRC provides salary supplements twice per year to early childhood educators with completed coursework.	Not published	$600
Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program (MO) Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education · Foundation Not published · Varies The Innovation Grant to Expand a Child Care Program in Missouri aims to enhance access to quality child care for families by providing funding to licensed providers.	Not published	Varies
Child Care Grant Programs Northwest Minnesota Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Northwest Minnesota Foundation has been aggressively bolstering and improving the opportunities for child care professionals to be successful.	Not published	Varies
Smart Start Subsidy Columbus County Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies This scholarship program provides assistance with the cost of child care to qualified parents with children ages birth to five.	Not published	Varies
CFMT: Expansion Grant The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Inc · Foundation Not published · 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.	Not published	Varies
Grants for Childcare Programs in Cabarrus County Cabarrus County Partnership for Children Inc · Foundation Not published · 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.	Not published	Varies

Showing 97–120 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.

Get a shortlist of grants for daycare built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department