The Early Childhood Opportunity Fund (ECHO) Fund® is Agenda for Children’s innovative grant program that seeks to increase access to high-quality early care and education for children from birth through age four, through directly funding early childhood programs’ needs.
The ECHO Fund® directly supports the needs of early learning programs in our region, investing in increased access, ingenuity, and quality for our youngest learners. Since the Fund’s inception in 2018, Agenda for Children has distributed over 2,700 grants totaling over $15.7 million.
Who Funds the ECHO Fund®?
The ECHO Fund® is made possible through the generous support of national foundations, state and local funding, individual donors and local educational partners, as well as through the Workforce Child Care Tax Credit (WCCTC – formerly School Readiness Tax Credit) program. Learn more
New ECHO Fund® Grant Cycles
2026 PDG Young Children with Disabilities ECHO Fund Grant (Applications due 10/13/2026)
Open ECHO Fund® Grant Cycles for 2026
- 2026 PDG Family Summit ECHO Fund Grant (Applications due 9/8/26
- Status: Application deadline passed. Closeout Report Due 11/9/2026
- 2026 CCR&R SRTC Workforce ECHO Fund Grant
- 2026 City Seats Program Quality ECHO Fund Grant
- 2026 ECEF Program Quality ECHO Fund Grant Type IIIs+ AA FCCs Orleans
Recent ECHO Fund® Grant Cycles (2025)
| ECHO Fund Grant Cycle | Status | Dedicated Webpage |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 CCR&R SRTC Workforce ECHO Fund Grant | Deadline to apply has passed. Currently in Implementation and Close-out Reporting Phase. | Link to Dedicated Webpage |
| 2025 Admin Wage Enhancement Grant (for Program Staff & Part-Time Educators) | Deadline to apply has passed. Currently in Implementation Phase. | Link to Dedicated Webpage |
| 2025 Program Quality ECHO Fund Grant for Orleans Parish (Non-City Seats) | Deadline to apply has passed. Currently in Implementation and Close-out Reporting Phase. | Link to Dedicated Webpage |
| 2025 High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats | Application Deadline has passed. Currently in Implementation Phase. | Link to Dedicated Webpage |
How are ECHO Fund® Grants Submitted?
All ECHO Fund Grant applications, documentation, award agreements, and grant reporting are completed through Foundant, our Grant Management System.
Have Questions or Need Support
To access tutorials to support the ECHO Fund® Application process, visit the ECHO Fund® Grant Hub.
Contact the Agenda for Children ECHO Fund® Grant Team at echofund@agendaforchildren.org.
Founder, Agenda for Children
Judy Watts was a fierce child advocate who co-founded Agenda for Children to make Louisiana a state where all children can thrive. She was a commited anti-racist who worked closely with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. Under her leadership, Agenda made major impacts on early care and education, child welfare, juvenile justice and children’s health care access.