Grants & Loans

Families, educators, policymakers and community leaders agree: Developing and retaining high-quality early childhood professionals is very important to the future of Colorado’s children. Below you will find both local and national grants and loans designed to support professional development and improve program quality.

Colorado Grants & Loans

NEW! 2008 Shade Structure Program
The American Academy of Dermatology’s (Academy) Shade Structure Program are grant awards ($8,000 each) for the purchase of permanent shade structures designed to provide shade and ultraviolet (UV) ray protection for outdoor areas. The Shade Structure Program is open to non-profit organizations or educational institutions that serve children and teenagers, ages 18 and younger. To be considered applicants must: o Be sponsored by an Academy member dermatologist o Demonstrate a commitment to sun safety within their organization o Agree to meet the time line outlined below The deadline for grant applications is Wednesday, March 5, 2008.

NEW! Boettcher Foundation Early Learning Capital Fund--Facility Improvement Grant
The Boettcher Foundation Early Learning Capital Fund will provide grants up to $5,000 for facility improvements. Applicants must be nonprofit corporations with a current Qualistar Rating and demonstrate a 1:1 match with other funds. The improvement project must benefit children ages 0-5 years old. The funds must be used for physical improvements to the facility and may not be used for general operating purposes.

NEW! Boettcher Foundation Early Learning Capital Grant
Qualistar Early Learning invites you to apply for a Capital Grant to support quality improvements in your child care facility. This funding is made possible through the Boettcher Foundation Early Learning Capital Fund, which Qualistar will administer statewide through 2010.

The Boettcher Foundation Early Learning Capital Fund will provide grants up to $25,000 for major expansions or renovations to your facility. Applicants must be nonprofit corporations, demonstrate a 4:1 match with other funds and complete the attached application. The project must benefit children ages 0-5 years old. The funds must be used for physical improvements to the facility and may not be used for general operating purposes.

NEW! The Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN) Program PDF
The Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition (COPAN) Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment are pleased to announce the availability of grants to support physical activity and nutrition programs focused on early childhood. Programs may be designed for children ages birth through six or their parents, or for organizations that provide services to this age group or their parents, including family child care providers, child care centers, WIC agencies, local health departments, and other qualifying agencies. Grants of up to $2,000 each will be available to implement strategies from the following guidance documents (family day care sponsors may receive up to $3000): COPAN’s Child Care Champions Best Practices guidebook and the Colorado Early Childhood Resource Kit (found at www.livewellcolorado.com).

Colorado Early Childhood Development Professional Loan Repayment Program
Child Care professionals graduating with an Associates degree from an approved community college program and working in licensed child care program after graduation may be eligible for loan repayment of $1,000 per year.

Colorado Enterprise Fund
A non-profit community development financial institution with a Child Care Loan Program that assists communities in efforts to expand the supply and quality of family child care facilities, among other things.

Denver Residents: The Individual Development Account (IDA) PDF
Individual Development Accounts are specifically designed savings account matched by public and private sources for high-return investments, such as first-time homeownership, post-high school education, and business capitalization.

How to Read Your Baby Scholarships PDF
The Temple Hoyne Buell Foundation has provided How To Read Your Baby (HTRYB) with funds to train Colorado programs in Partners In Parenting Education (PIPE) and in Emotional Beginnings (EB) Childcare staff development program. The scholarships will subsidize programs wishing to train their staff with HTRYB. Funds are limited and recipients will be chosen based on financial need and client base. Contact 303-655-9900, www.howtoreadyourbaby.org, or info@howtoreadyourbaby.org for more information.

Latin American Educational Foundation
The goal of this scholarship is to award funds to qualified students who have demonstrated a commitment to the Hispanic community.

Marla Bouma Memorial Tuition Award
The recipient must have a minimum of six semester hours of prior coursework in early childhood related classes and be an undergraduate or graduate, part-time or full-time student at a Colorado college or university among other things.

Mayor’s Office for Education and Children
Quality Improvement Funding PDF
Funding available through June 30, 2007 for providers with low-income families that have fiscal agreements with the Denver Department of Human Services to receive Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) funding.

The CAEYC (Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children) Tuition
For college students who have completed at least 6 semester hours in Early Childhood related courses with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.

National Grants & Loans

CACFP – Child and Adult Food Program
CACFP serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.

Child Care Provider Loan Forgiveness
Child Care Providers who use a federal loan to receive an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and who work full time for two years at a child care facility may then be eligible to have their loan forgiven.

Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan)
Both programs consist of what are generally known as Stafford Loans (for students) and PLUS Loans (for parents). .

Federal Perkins Loan
A low-interest loan for both undergraduate and graduate students with financial need. Your school is the lender. You must repay this loan to your school.

Federal Student Financial Aid (SFA)
SFA is assistance for students enrolled in participating schools. It helps to cover school expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Most aid is need based.

For all Kids Foundation
Grants are accepted on a rolling basis. The grants support nonprofits that provide child care, early education and other programs for at risk and economically disadvantaged children in underserved communities.

Hasbro Children’s Foundation
Grants are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund
To qualify applicants must be of Hispanic heritage, a U.S. Citizen, or legal permanent resident, be enrolled full time in a degree-seeking program at a U.S. Accredited and Title IV-eligible institution, among other things.

Jack Kent Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship
Scholarships are awarded to outstanding individuals with financial need. Awards upwards of $30,000 each to students and recent alumni from community colleges or two-year institutions that will be pursuing bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation
A non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for, and awarding grants to, low-income women, age 35 or older. Each grant recipient has a vision of how a college education will benefit herself, her family, and her community.

Pell Grant Program
Pell Grants do NOT have to be paid back. They are awarded to undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. Part time students are eligible to receive Pell Grants.

Playful City USA
A national recognition program that is honoring cities and towns across the nation who demonstrate a commitment to play, KaBOOM! has decided to provide financial incentives to the first 30 cities who successfully submit their application and are selected as a Playful City USA. Selected cities will be eligible to apply for grants up to $25,000 to support their agenda for play. Anything from funding a citywide Play Day to advertising play opportunities to purchasing play equipment or doing maintenance on existing playspaces.

Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Award
To be eligible you must be a woman with primary financial responsibility for supporting your family, attend or have been accepted to a vocational training program, among other things.

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
Family Literacy grant-making program seeks to develop or expand projects that are designed to support the development of literacy skills for adult primary care givers and their children.

The Who Foundation
This national foundation supports grass-roots charities serving the overlooked needs of women.