Organizations may apply as early as Oct. 1 for competitive grants through the state Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program, Sen. Claire Wilson (D-Auburn) said today.
“The Legislature invested $18 million in ELF this year because we see a critical need to increase access to high-quality child care and early learning, particularly for children from low-income and at-risk households,” Wilson said. “No child should have their academic success undermined by developmental and environmental risk factors that are within our power to address.”
The ELF grants provide support to the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program and to Working Connections Child Care providers to expand, remodel, purchase or construct early learning facilities and classrooms.
The application for the grants, administered by the state Department of Commerce in partnership with the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families, will be available online beginning Oct. 1 on the Commerce website, where guidelines for eligible organizations are already posted. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Dec. 2. Applications must be submitted electronically through ZoomGrants.
For any ELF grant program related questions, please email earlylearningfacilities@commerce.wa.gov.
