Grants for Preschool Development Under New Birth Through Age Five Program

On Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education announced a funding opportunity, the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program.

This announcement solicits applications from 50 states and 6 territories. States and territories can apply for as little as $500,000 and as much as $15,000,000 for the first year of funding. Applicants have 60 days to submit an application, therefore, applications will be due by November 6, 2018.

This initial one-year grant differs significantly from the Preschool Development Grants that are presently funded. The PDG B-5 grant targets comprehensive statewide birth through age five needs assessment, strategic planning, parent choice and knowledge about mixed delivery systems, and sharing best practices prior to implementation of any quality initiatives states identify in a strategic plan developed based on what is learned from their needs assessment.

The purposes of PDG B-5 are to

  —develop, update, or implement a strategic plan that facilitates collaboration and coordination among existing programs of early childhood care and education in a mixed delivery system across the state designed to prepare low-income and disadvantaged children to enter kindergarten and to improve transitions from such systems into the local educational agency or elementary school

  —more efficiently use existing federal, state, local, and non-governmental resources to align and strengthen the delivery of existing programs, coordinating the delivery models and funding streams existing in the state’s mixed delivery system; and develop recommendations to better use existing resources

  —encourage partnerships among Head Start providers, state and local governments, Indian tribes and tribal organizations, private entities (including faith- and community-based entities), and local educational agencies

  —maximize parental choice and knowledge about the state’s mixed delivery system of early childhood education program providers

We invite state innovation in planning, designing, enhancing, implementing, and evaluating their early childhood care and education mixed delivery system that will support the healthy growth and development of all infants, toddlers, and young children, particularly low-income and disadvantaged children.

States are strongly encouraged to engage and develop their application jointly with a full range of early childhood stakeholders, including partners in the community. Coordination with partners should incorporate parent input and reflect system design and development that best meets the needs of families and their children.

Applicants must submit a letter on official letterhead, signed by the governor or an authorized representative, designating the state entity that will have responsibility for execution of this grant. This letter must include a description of why the state entity is best suited to easily and successfully oversee and manage the grant, and facilitate collaboration and coordination among the full range of programs, services, and funding streams, thereby leading to the improvement of an early childhood care and education mixed delivery system serving children from birth through age five. Applicants are strongly encouraged to carefully read the entire funding opportunity announcement, available for download here.