In 2024, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) allocated $85 million in discretionary funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for five competitive grant opportunities to support expansion of licensed child care programs in Ohio.   The five grant types include a start-up grant for new centers; a program expansion grant; a program repairs grant; a grant to support conversion from family child care type B (programs that care for one to six children) to type A (programs that care for seven to 12 children); and a grant to increase a program’s capacity for children with special needs. The amount a center-based program can request ranges from $50,000 to $500,000, depending on the grant type; the amount a family-based program can request ranges from $5,000 to $25,000.   Funds can be used to repair facilities or conduct minor renovations; they can also be spent on salaries or benefits as well as materials and equipment for classroom use. Construction and major renovations are not eligible.  learn more: early care and education access grants Sources: Wente, K. B., & Damschroder, M. (n.d.). Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 176. Ohio Department of Children & Youth. Weber, K., Leffler, L., & Schulman, K. (2025). Work in Progress: State Child Care and Early Education Updates 2024. National Women's Law Center.

In July 2021, the Illinois General Assembly passed Public Act 102-0174, instructing the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board to create and implement the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program. The program aims to upskill the early education workforce by giving students financial support to complete their degrees and by aligning early education career pathways across Illinois institutions of higher education.   For undergraduate students seeking credentials and/or a degree in early childhood education at a 2- or 4-year ECACE member institution, the scholarships pay the cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, room and board charges, or commuter allowances.. For the 2024-25 academic year, the ECACE Scholarship award was the lesser of $7,500 or the cost of attendance. Recipients are expected to teach in the early education field in Illinois after completing their program of study.  Until June 2024, the ECACE Scholarship Program was funded by federal Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) stabilization funds. In 2023-24, $76.4 million in ECACE Scholarship funds were distributed to nearly 4,700 students. This was a large increase from  2022-23 ($29.6 million in scholarships for about 2,100 students) and 2021-22 ($5.7 million in scholarships for about 400 incumbent workforce).  Starting in FY2025, the program is funded using $5 million in Illinois state general funds. This appropriation was considerably less than  in previous years, and thus fewer students received scholarship; in 2024-25, the program was able to support only a portion of renewal applicants.  learn more: Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship Program  Sources: Illinois Student Assistance Commission. (2025). Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program. Illinois Student Assistance Commission. (n.d.). Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Scholarship, AY 2023-24. Illinois General Assembly. (2021). Public Act 102-0174. Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity. (2023). Frequently Asked Questions.

In 2017, the Southern New Hampshire Services and Department of Labor Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program (ECAP) was established. Combining classroom instruction and work experience, the apprenticeship program hopes to increase the apprentice’s skill level and wages while enhancing the quality of care. ECAP apprentices can obtain a Childcare Development Specialist Certificate from the Department of Labor and the New Hampshire Bureau of Child Care Licensing and a credential to teach in a child care center. The program lasts 1.5 years, and participants earn college credit through Community College System of New Hampshire or Granite State College. Learn more: New Hampshire Connections Sources: New Hampshire Connections. (n.d.). USDOL Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeship Program. Southern New Hampshire Services. (n.d.). Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program.

Through a March 2021 ballot measure, Rhode Island voters approved the Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund, which dedicated over $13 million in one-time grant funding for physical improvements to existing child care spaces and for the development of new licensed early childhood care and education facilities. Grant funds can be used for costs associated with the design, construction, repair, renovation, rehabilitation, or other capital improvement or deferred maintenance of an eligible facility. The approved applicants include five expansion projects totaling more than $7.8 million and creating nearly 500 slots, plus 10 capital improvement projects totaling $700,000 and improving more than 700 childcare seats. Awards will be made until the fund is fully allocated. Learn more: Early Childhood Care & Education Capital Fund Sources:State of Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee. (2022). Governor McKee Announces $8.5 Million in First Round Awardees from Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund. LISC. (n.d.). Early childhood care and education capital fund.

Established in 2009 and renewed in 2019, the Illinois Early Childhood Construction Grant (ECCG) Program is a state-sponsored initiative to invest in quality early childhood education facilities. In July 2022, Governor J.B. Pritzker committed $60 million in capital grants for early education providers through this program. The funding supports the construction, expansion, and renovation of facilities for early learning for children from birth to age five. Centers that plan to increase their capacity to provide care and education for children in underserved communities are eligible for up to $10 million under the Early Childhood Construction Grant. The centers must contribute from 3% to 10% of the cost. The ECCG Program is administered by the Capital Development Board (CDB), an independent state agency that oversees construction of state facilities and other public purpose capital projects. Grant funds must be used for non-recurring durable improvements, such as adding onto an existing building, new construction of a facility or renovations to an existing facility to create a new early childhood center, acquisition of a facility, purchase or replacement of equipment, safety improvements, and classroom conversions. In 2024, through Senate Bill 2675, the Illinois General Assembly expanded eligibility for the Early Childhood Construction Grant Program to nonprofit early childhood providers that rent or lease from another nonprofit entity.  Learn More: Early Childhood Construction Grant Program Sources: IFF. (2022). Frequently Asked Questions: Illinois Early Childhood Construction Grant Program.Illinois Capital Development Board. (2022). Governor Pritzker Announces $60 Million Competitive Grant Program for Early Childhood Construction in Illinois.

In April 2000, the Kentucky Legislature passed HB 706, which created the Early Childhood Development Scholarship Program as part of the KIDS NOW initiative. The program supports child care workers seeking to advance their professional skills and qualifications in early childhood education.  The Early Childhood Development Scholarship program is a collaboration between the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood. To qualify, individuals must  be employed at least 20 hours per week in a licensed child care program, including Type 1 and Type 2 settings or certified family homes:

• Type 1: licensed childcare centers serving four or more children in a non-residential location
• Type 2: Facilities or home-based programs serving seven to twelve children in a non-residential setting or a certified home-based childcare 

In 2021, Kentucky expanded the program using new funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a three-year, $1.9 trillion federal relief package.  As of the 2024-25 school year, eligible students can receive up to $6,751 per semester for tuition and fees. Participants may pursue the following credentials or degrees: Child Development Associate (CDA), an associate degree in early childhood education, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in interdisciplinary early childhood education, or the Kentucky Early Childhood Director Credential and Certificate. learn more: early childhood development scholarships Sources: HB 706: Early Childhood Development Act, Chapter 308. (2000, April). Kentucky Legislature. KRS 164.518. (2013). Kentucky Legislature. Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority. (n.d.). Scholarships and Grants. Commonwealth of Kentucky. (2021, October 28). Early Childhood Development Scholarship. Kentucky Office of the Governor. (2021, June 24). Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Child Care Providers Awarded $763 Million in Federal Funds.

Since 2017, the Philadelphia Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program has been led by the District 1199c Training & Upgrading Fund. Partner organizations include the Community College of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children. The program supports apprentices by helping them earn college credits and participate in classroom instruction, on-the-job training, and mentorship. It receives public workforce development funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The Training Fund began developing its apprenticeship model in 2015, and the organization produces guides for replication. Learn more: District 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund Sources: Early Childhood Action Collective. (n.d.). Philadelphia Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program. EditSign District 1199C Training and Upgrading Fund. (n.d.). Program Replication Tool Kit.

In June 2025, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1 (SB1), establishing a state-managed Early Childhood Education Endowment as a permanent vehicle for dedicated investment in early education. Legislators allocated $300 million in unappropriated surplus funding from the FY2025 budget as an initial investment. In future years, the endowment will grow through the addition of annual budget surpluses and investments.   The Early Childhood Education Endowment supports the expansion of early education programs by adding tens of thousands of slots to Connecticut’s state-funded early care and education system; it aims to create 16,000 new infant through preschool slots by 2032. To achieve this goal, beginning in FY2028, the Endowment will make early childhood education available at no cost to families who earn less than $100,000 per year. For families earning more than $100,000 per year, the fund will subsidize a sliding scale of payments for early education, topping out at no more than 7% of family income.   The fund will offer a sliding scale of no more than 7% for families earning more than $100,000 per year.   SB1 requires that at least 35% of new early education slots funded by the Endowment are for infants and toddlers.  learn more: early childhood education endowment Sources: Tillman, L. (2025, June 2). Transformative CT early childhood education bill gets full passage. CT Mirror. Office of the Governor. (2025, June 10). Governor Lamont Celebrates Historic Legislative Session Expanding Access to Early Childhood Education. The Office of Treasurer Erick Russell. (2025, July 1). Treasurer Russell Announces Investment of $300 Million in Newly Created Early Childhood Education Endowment. Glesby, L. (2025, July 1). Childcare Endowment Lands $300M. New Haven Independent.

In 2022, voters in New Orleans, LA, passed a property tax levy that, along with state matching funds, will provide early childhood education to 2,000 children from low-income households annually. The campaign won a 5 millage property tax that will raise $21 million in the first year and will be doubled by the state’s matching fund. The program will provide child and family support services, coaching and professional development for teachers, and expand the supply of quality early learning centers. Learn more: Early Childhood education millage Sources: Children's Funding Project. (2022). New Orleans, LA’s Early Childhood Education Millage.

Established in 2021, the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Apprenticeship is a partnership between the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education (ADECE), Wallace State Community College, Troy Univesity-Dothan, and Athens State University to increase opportunities to enter the early education workforce. Students can train in early education programs in 15 counties. The ECE Apprenticeship provides on-the-job training with a mentor, and participants complete related technical instruction from institutions of higher education. Apprentices can obtain stackable credentials, including a Child Development Associate certification, an associate degree, and/or a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, all while employed with a child care provider. Apprentices pay no cost to participate, and they earn progressive wage increases while they are learning. To offset the cost of the apprenticeship for the employer, all apprentices submit a FAFSA and apply for TEACH scholarships, Leadership in Childcare Scholarships, and C3 Scholarships. They also work with a business service representative to seek additional funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and other grants. Any remaining costs are covered by ADECE and the Coleman Center for Early Learning and Family Enrichment at Troy University. Learn More: Alabama Works! Sources: Alabama Works!. (n.d.). Alabama's first apprenticeship for early educators established. WAFF. (2023). Early Childhood Educator Apprenticeship program could help combat Alabama’s teacher shortage.

Early Childhood Educator INCENTIVE$ Florida provides supplemental pay to early childhood educators based on their education level and commitment to their early education program. INCENTIVE$ is designed to retain early childhood educators and support their professional development; in turn, this creates a more stable workforce with the skills needed to support young children's healthy learning and development. Bonuses range from $450 to $5,000 per educator per year, with an average payment of $2,472. Amounts increase as educators obtain more formal education, and educators must remain in their early education program for at least six months to qualify for an award. According to the INCENTIVE$ program, "data show that INCENTIVE$ participants who continuously increase their education levels are more likely to remain with their employer. Data also show the turnover rate among participants is only 10% annually, compared to the national average of 30-40% each year." This program is part of the national Child Care WAGE$ Program and is currently available in select counties across the state. The Child Care WAGE$ Program supports educators and directors in center-based, family child care, and other licensed child care programs serving children from birth to 5 years old. Learn More: Florida Early Childhood Educator INCENTIVE$ Sources: Children's Forum. (n.d.). Early Childhood Educator INCENTIVE$. Children's Forum. (2022). Early Learning & Afterschool Career Pathways.

In 2022, the Washington DC City Council authorized the Office of the State Superintendent of Education to disburse funds that would create pay parity between community-based early educators and educators teaching in the DC Public Schools. In its first phase, the fund is disbursing quarterly payments to close the gap between an educator's current salary and a starting public-school salary. The amount depends on educators’ roles (lead vs. assistant teacher) and whether they work full or part time. Educators are eligible for payments in the following amounts:

• Full-time lead teacher: $14,000 per year, disbursed quarterly
• Part-time lead teacher: $7,000 per year, disbursed quarterly
• Full-time assistant teacher: $10,000 per year, disbursed quarterly
• Part-time assistant teacher: $5,000 per year, disbursed quarterly

In the initiative's second phase, which is expected to begin in late 2023, educators will be paid according to a salary scale or adjusted base amount for reimbursement to programs. Educators who serve children from low-income families will receive higher payments. Education levels will also be used to determine payment amounts. This program is funded through a city tax on high-earning individuals. learn more: early childhood educator pay equity fund Sources:DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education. (n.d.). Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund DC City Council. (2022). Final Report of the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force. Berman, E. (2023). D.C. Is Giving Preschool Teachers A Pay Bump. Here’s How It’s Making A Difference To Them. DCist. Greenberg, E., Nelson, V., Doromal, J. B., Sandstrom, J., Bose, S., & Lauderback, E. (2023, June). Toward Pay Equity A Case Study of Washington, DC’s Wage Boost for Early Childhood Educators. Urban Institute.