New Grant Opportunity for Early Childhood Providers in Dubois County
Early childhood education (ECE) providers in Dubois County have an opportunity to strengthen and expand their programs through the Early Care & Education Grant. This funding opportunity is designed to increase program capacity and enhance quality in nonprofit and school-based early childhood programs, ensuring more children have access to high-quality learning experiences.
The grant is made possible by the Early Care & Education initiative of Dubois County, with funding support from the Dubois County Community Foundation. This initiative aligns with a countywide effort to expand access to high-quality early education and support the growth and sustainability of local childcare programs.
Funding will be awarded to projects that align with one or more of the following goals
Increasing Capacity – Expanding the ability to serve more children such as:
- Adding new classrooms or age groups
- Extending operating hours to meet family needs
- Hiring additional qualified staff to reduce waitlists and improve child-to-teacher ratios
Advancing Quality – Enhancing program quality and meeting state and national early childhood education standards, such as:
- Pursuing licensure to meet Indiana’s childcare regulations
- Becoming a registered ministry to comply with faith-based childcare guidelines
- Advancing on Paths to QUALITY™ (PTQ), Indiana’s voluntary quality rating system
- Implementing research-based curriculum, assessment tools or professional development initiatives
Strengthening Organizational Capacity – Investing in the long-term success of early childhood programs through:
- Strategic planning for sustainable growth
- Board development and governance training
- Recruitment, training, and retention of early childhood educators