2024 CCR&R SRTC WORKFORCE ECHO GRANT

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 childcare programs and the nonprofits that serve them.

Since 2018, the Early Childhood Opportunity (ECHO) Fund has enhanced early childhood education by providing over 1,000 grants totaling more than $ 8.8 million. Our ongoing commitment is to increase access, foster ingenuity, and elevate the quality of early learning in the region.

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Agenda for Children is excited to announce the launch of an exciting new grant opportunity, the 2024 CCR&R SRTC WORKFORCE ECHO GRANT! See below grant parameters, timeline, and more.

*** The deadline for this grant opportunity has passed. ***

The 2024 CCR&R SRTC WORKFORCE ECHO GRANT

The purpose of the 2024 CCR&R SRTC ECHO GRANT is to provide workforce retention grant funds. 

These grant funds can be used for one-time bonuses, salary subsidies for current and new staff. This applies to all childcare staff (teachers, floaters, cleaners, cooks, and admin) but excludes directors and owners. Academically Approved Family Child Care Providers may use the funds to pay substitutes. These funds are not to be used to cover regular payroll. 

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for this grant, childcare providers must meet all of the following criteria:

• Must be either a Type I, II or III Childcare Center or a Family Childcare Center (FCC) with Academic Approval. Schools and stand-alone Head Start Programs are not eligible for this grant opportunity.
• Must be located in one of the following parishes:
  Assumption, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John, St. Tammany, Terrebonne, or Washington
• Must be in good standing with Agenda for Children, ECHO Fund, and Licensing requirements

Individual Grant Amounts

Each approved site will receive approximately $1K in workforce retention grant funding. Approved sites in Plaquemines Parish, please see special guidance for this grant in your application.

This grant is made possible by funding generated through the Louisiana School Readiness Tax Credits (SRTCs). We thank the many Louisiana businesses who believe in the importance of high-quality early care and education and who make this support possible.

Due to the impacts of Hurricane Francine, the deadline for this grant has been extended to Sunday, September 22nd.

Apply for the 2024 CCR&R SRTC
WORKFORCE ECHO GRANT 

2024 CCR&R SRTC WORKFORCE ECHO GRANT INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR (Pre-recorded)

3 Step Streamlined grant process

1. Eligibility Quiz: Before you can apply for funding, please log in to the Foundant Grant Management System and answer a few questions to confirm that your organization is eligible. To be eligible for the CCR&R SRTC ECHO WORKFORCE GRANT, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria.

2. Application: Once eligibility is confirmed, applicants receive a notice that they have been granted access to the application. Applicants complete their application, agree to grant assurances, and provide a W-9 and Direct Deposit form.

3. Close-out Report: At the end of the grant cycle (typically 30-60 days) grantees will be required to submit a Close-out Report where they document grant related expenditures and share the impact of the grant.

Click here to access the Agenda for Children ECHO Fund Foundant Page

All echo grant applications and close-out reports

are submitted via Foundant, our grant management system.

Questions?

Contact the ECHO Grant Team at echofund@agendaforchildren.org. Support is available during our regularly scheduled hours of operation (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM).

FAQ