ECHO Fund Grants
The Early Childhood Opportunity (ECHO) Fund is an innovative grant program that seeks to increase access to high-quality early care and education for Louisiana children, birth through age four, by directly funding child care programs and the nonprofits that serve them.
Agenda for Children is excited to announce the launch of our Fall 2023 ECHO Fund Quality Grant! See below grant parameters, timeline, and more.
Fall 2023 ECHO Fund Quality Grant
The Fall 2023 ECHO Fund Quality Grant, made possible through the Kellogg Foundation and United Way of Southeast Louisiana, intends to support Family Child Care Centers (FCCs) with Academic Approval and licensed Type III early care and education (ECE) programs in their efforts to address program quality through direct, one-time financial relief grants.
The ECHO Fund Quality Grant will provide awards of at least $1,500 to assist Family Child Care Centers (FCCs) with Academic Approval and licensed Type III ECE programs in Assumption, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Terrebonne and Washington parishes that are open and operating as of September 1st, 2023. Jefferson Parish 501(c)(3), Type III centers that are not located within a K-12 school are also eligible to apply. Grants are designed to support programs in improving their program quality.
All eligible providers are strongly encouraged to apply. All eligible sites that apply will receive some level of funding, provided they submit a full and complete application requesting one of the approved uses of funds.
Further grant information, such as additional eligibility requirements, application materials, grant priorities, and more are outlined below.
| Eligibility - Location: | Assumption Lafourche Plaquemines St. Bernard St. Charles St. James St. John St. Tammany Terrebonne Washington Additionally, Jefferson Parish 501(c)(3), Type III centers that are not located within a K-12 school are eligible to apply. |
| Eligibility - Provider Type: | FCCS with Academic Approval Type III ECEs (including HS/EHS) with a valid license Jefferson Parish: 501(c)(3), Type III centers that are not located within a K-12 school only |
| Additional Eligibility Requirements: | Applicants must be in good standing with ECHO Grant reporting requirements to be considered for this grant. Your program must be open and operating as of September 1st, 2023, with exceptions possible for qualifying emergencies and scheduled holiday closures. |
| Eligible Expenses: | Materials developed to directly support curriculum implementation, including online access to supplementary materials for purchased curriculum; Early learning materials, including developmentally-appropriate books and toys and materials for direct, hands-on child interaction; Classroom furnishings that support an environment of independence (such as stepping stools) as well as community (such as a class rug for circle time). Applicants are encouraged to utilize the LDOE's Classroom Materials Checklist to help identify potential purchases for their request. |
| Ineligible Expenses: | Grant requests that are not in alignment with the acceptable uses described above will not be accepted. Additional prohibited materials include technology (laptops, iPads, etc.), workbooks, reproducible patterns, and decorative items primarily for teacher use (such as bulletin boards and calendars). |
| Approximate Grant Amount: | All grantees will receive a minimum award amount of $1,600, though they may receive more. All eligible sites that apply will receive some level of funding, provided they submit a full and complete application requesting one of the approved uses of funds. |
| Application Launch Date: | Monday, September 18th, 2023 |
| Application Close Date: | The application portal will close at 12:00 AM, Saturday, September 30th. |
| Grant Award Notification: | Agenda for Children will announce grant awards no later than Friday, October 6th, via email to the contact named in the grant application. Some applicants may be contacted sooner to clarify information in their application or provide corrected financial documentation. |
| End of Grant Term: | The term of the grant is October 12th, 2023 to January 15th, 2023. All funds must be expensed, documented, and reported in alignment with approved uses to Agenda for Children by or before this date. Please contact our team promptly for guidance on allowable use of funds throughout the grant term. Failure to spend awarded funds by the deadline, spending on unapproved or inappropriate items, or inconsistency in expense reporting may impact your eligibility for future ECHO grant awards and may result in request to return award funds. |
| Application Link: | Quality Grant Application Link |
| Application PDF: | Click here for a PDF version of the application to prepare your application response. Applications will not be accepted via email. |
| Application Webinar: | Agenda for Children will be hosting an application webinar for this grant on Tuesday, September 26th at 1:00 PM. Register here! |
Questions?
Contact the ECHO Team at echofund@agendaforchildren.org. Support is available during our regularly scheduled hours of operation (M-F, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM).
Grant FAQs
Grant FAQs
When is the application due?
Our application portal will close at 12:00 AM, Saturday, September 30th.
Can I see the questions in advance before I start the application?
Yes. The application PDF can be found here.
Can I save my application and resume it later?
Yes. If you encounter any issues, please contact echofund@agendaforchildren.org for assistance.
I am in the process of opening a center. Am I eligible for this grant?
No. Please check back for future grant opportunities.
I receive funding from Early Head Start and/or Head Start. Am I eligible to apply for this grant?
Yes. Sites that receive any type of EHS or HS funding (including Private Type III Centers who receive EHS/HS seats) are not excluded from these grant funds.
I am located in Jefferson Parish. Am I eligible for this grant?
Only if your center is a 501(c)(3) that is not located within a K-12 public school.
I operate multiple centers. Can I fill out one application to apply for grants for multiple centers at once?
No, providers may not submit one application to apply for funds for multiple centers. Providers who operate multiple sites must fill out an individual application for each site they operate.
Can I fill out the application as a PDF and email it to your team?
No. Applications are only accepted via the application portal.
Can I edit my application after submission?
Applicants may edit their submission at any time before the respective application due date. Once the application closes, edits will no longer be accepted.
Where can I get additional support?
Contact our team at echofund@agendaforchildren.org. Support is available during our regularly scheduled hours of operation (M-F, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM).
Agenda for Children will be hosting an application webinar at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, September 26th. Register here.