In 2013, as part of a $1.4 billion capital projects bond bill, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized a $45 million Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund to improve center-based child care facilities through small- and large-scale capital projects.
The program is administered by the Department of Early Education and Care in partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund (CIF), an affiliate of the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation. Eligible licensed programs can apply for grants for a variety of improvements, including updates for classrooms and bathrooms, facility expansion, emergency repairs, and modifications to improve air quality. Programs can apply for small grants, which offer recipients between $200,000 and $500,000, or large grants, which provide up to $1 million.
In November 2023, Governor Maura Healey announced $14.3 million to support the EEOST Capital Fund, including $6.8 million from the Healey Administration’s FY24–28 Capital Investment Plan and $7.5 million from the early education and care provider capital grant funding delivered in the FY2024 state budget.
In June 2024, the Healey administration announced the Family Child Care Capital Grant program and made $2.5 million available to home-based providers. The program is administered by the Department of Early Education and Care and MassDevelopment, the state’s development finance agency and land bank. Providers who are homeowners can apply for up to $25,000 to purchase and install new equipment, improve site security, expand facilities, or upgrade outdoor areas, among other things.
Since the first round of grant funding in FY14, the state has invested $61 million in 130 projects.
Sources:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (n.d.). Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Grants.
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. (2023). Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches $14.3 Million Grant Program for Renovations at Child Care Programs Serving Low-Income Families.
Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. (2023). Healey-Driscoll Administration Opens $4 Million for Large Scale Renovations at Early Education and Out-of-School Time Programs.
The Associated Press. (2013). Mass. State House Panel OKs $1.4M Affordable Housing Bill.
Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:
High-quality, affordable early education and care supports children’s healthy development and allows families to work, engage in their own educational pursuits, and/or participate in other aspects of community life. To support children and families in these instrumental ways, research suggests there is a need to expand the availability of early education opportunities across the mixed-delivery system.
Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:
- Families rely on a range of formal (e.g., Head Start, center-based care, public pre-K) and more informal (e.g., home-based, relative care) early education settings; when choosing a setting for their child, families balance many logistical constraints and personal preferences.
- But for many families – and especially low- and middle-income families – early education choices remain tightly constrained due to issues of affordability and supply.