Our Grants

Funding Opportunity: Transforming early educator Lead Teacher preparation programs through multi-partner innovation

Download the full announcement Frequently Asked Questions

The Collaborative’s latest grant opportunity will provide two-year grants to support partnerships in expanding or implementing innovative teacher preparation programs in state/territory/Tribal Nation early childhood education (ECE) systems. Eligible partnerships must be comprised of at least the following two entity types: 1) a lead applicant four-year institute of higher education (IHE) that offers a bachelor’s degree program for lead teachers; and 2) a state/territory/Tribal Nation.* The Collaborative will prioritize partnerships that also include a two-year, community college institute of higher education in addition to the aforementioned entities, as well as applicants that come from institutions that demonstrate diversity such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Tribal-serving colleges and universities, and other four-year IHEs with a successful record of preparing students who bring racial, ethnic, linguistic, or socioeconomic diversity to the field.

The Collaborative is inviting all eligible parties to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to offer innovative proposals to foster comprehensive systems change for early educator preparation and compensation, so all children have access to a highly competent and well-compensated early childhood educator.

The Collaborative is offering approximately $10 million in funding to support innovative approaches to better preparing the current and future ECE workforce. We are seeking proposals that take the current systemic realities and barriers into account and strive to address them through contextually and culturally relevant ways. In particular, we’re looking for proposals that consider things like recruitment and retention of racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students, curricula informed by recent developmental science, induction supports provided in the early years of teaching, or financial supports for educators to access and complete programs.

LOIs should be informed by the recommendations outlined in the Institute of Medicine’s report, “Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation” and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s report, “Transforming the Financing of Early Care and Education.”

GRANT AWARD DETAILS

The total funding amount to be awarded for this initiative is approximately $10 million for two years. Grants will vary in size according to identified needs and the proposed reform’s stage of development, with grant awards ranging from a minimum of approximately $200,000 to $600,000 and a maximum of approximately $3 million to $5 million. The Collaborative will not support planning grants—proposals that primarily focus on allocating time and resource budgets towards establishing a new partnership or doing planning without implementation of an idea.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to respond to this LOI, applicants must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the full LOI announcement and application document downloadable on this page.

For a full breakdown of the eligibility criteria, applicant prioritization, and proposal requirements, please download and read the LOI announcement and application document.

KEY DATES

January 16, 2020: First webinar for interested LOI applicants was held. To access the webinar recording, click here.

January 31, 2020: Second webinar for interested LOI applications was held. To access the webinar recording, click here.

March 2, 2020: All LOI applications due at 11:59 pm local time.

April 2020: Select applicants invited to submit full proposals & proposal webinar held.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Submissions for this grant opportunity have closed. 

*When the Collaborative references “states/territories/Tribal Nations,” it is referring to the entity or entities that have authority to oversee higher education and teacher licensure within the state, territory, or Tribal Nation.