Kindergarten Transition Grant Program

The Kindergarten Transition Grant Program, managed by United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, aims to ensure a smooth transition for children entering kindergarten. This initiative fosters collaboration among educators, parents, and community members to provide essential support and resources. Activities such as parent orientations, summer camps, and classroom visits help ease the transition, promoting early literacy and timely registration. The program underscores the importance of quality early childhood education, ensuring children start school with confidence and readiness.

NOTE: Kindergarten Transition Accepting Submissions from 09/01/2025 to 04/01/2026. This opportunity can be found in the portal.
United Way coordinates community transition teams, who help kids and families bridge the gap between preschool and kindergarten.
Transition teams are made up of early childhood teachers, administrators, support staff, parents and community members. They work together to make sure students can transition smoothly from preschool life to kindergarten, and start school feeling calm, confident and ready to learn.
Transition teams coordinate activities and experiences that help students adapt to kindergarten: parent orientation nights, student summer camps, classroom visits and more.Transition teams also give a voice to key issues surrounding early childhood education. They promote the importance of quality early childhood education, early literacy development and on-time kindergarten registration. They help early childhood educators and school districts communicate better, and do the same for families, schools and the greater community.