For Early Childhood Professionals
Grants and Financial Opportunities
The 2022-2023 Regional Grant provides FREE money to help cover the cost of supplies, equipment, technology, and training. Grant funds are offered annually and are awarded on a competitive basis to qualified child care programs in the seven county metro area.
Please save the date for our upcoming informational session on Saturday, August 20, 2022.
Emergency Grants are available to assist licensed child care providers/programs and legally exempt school-based school-age care programs experiencing an emergency. An emergency includes occurrences that disrupt a provider/program’s immediate ability to provide care for the children enrolled in their program, or occurrences that jeopardize the health and safety of the children in the program.
Please email grantsrequest@thinksmall.org for availability of funds and to request for an application.
The Start Up Grant is a non-competitive grant available for child care programs that intend to become licensed or have been licensed for six months or less, which are contingent on your program becoming licensed. These funds are available to assist with the costs associated with start-up for newly licensed child care programs and are limited to items and services required by licensing or the Fire Marshall.
The evaluation of the Start-up Grant Application and the Start-up award determination is the amount of funding requested and the appropriateness of the items requested in reference to Minnesota Licensing Rule regarding the need for the items along with any Licensor’s/Fire Marshall’s orders and verification of the items requested.
To inquire, please email suegrantrequest@thinksmall.org.
Applications/Resources:
Families may apply for Early Learning Scholarships. Scholarships can help pay for high-quality childcare and early education to help children get ready for kindergarten. Early Learning Programs must participate in Parent Aware to serve scholarship children.
Think Small accepts applications for families living in Ramsey and Hennepin County.
Click here for the application and more details.
Please contact Think Small at 651-641-6604 or scholarships@thinksmall.org if you have questions about helping families fill out the application.