Early Learning Facilities Expansion and Maintenance Grant

Early Learning Facilities Expansion and Maintenance Grant is sponsored by Washington State Department of Commerce. This program provides grants to K-12 school districts to expand, remodel, purchase, or construct early learning facilities and classrooms necessary to support state-funded early learning opportunities for low-income children.

Early Learning Facilities Program – Washington State Department of Commerce Shared Standards Initiative 简体中文 ( Chinese (Simplified) ) 繁體中文 ( Chinese (Traditional) ) Tiếng Việt ( Vietnamese ) Early Learning Facilities Program The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program supports Washington’s commitment to develop additional high quality early learning opportunities for children from low-income households.

Commerce’s partners in the program are the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, Craft3 and the Early Learning Facilities Advisory Group.

The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program aims to help Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) providers to expand, remodel, purchase, or construct early learning facilities and classrooms necessary to support early learning opportunities for children from low-income households.

Competitive grants to eligible organizations Competitive grants to public school districts Competitive grants to Tribal compact schools Direct appropriations from the Legislature A grant and loan program operated by Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft3. ELF funding is open to nonprofits, public entities, K-12 schools and districts, tribes and for-profit businesses.

The type of eligible applicant depends on the requirements of the current funding round being released as indicated below. Nonprofit and for-profit business applicants must be registered in the State of Washington.

All applicants must be able to meet all applicable licensing and certification requirements under specific RCWs and WACs pertaining to the early learning and childcare services proposed in the facilities to which the funding will be applied. Grants made by the ELF program are for reimbursement of capital projects only. Capital project expenses include acquiring, constructing or renovating early learning facilities.

Eligible cost include acquisition, design, engineering, limited third-party construction management, construction and capitalized equipment. Projects must result in a licensed facility that increases early learning opportunities for children in the State of Washington, including those from households where the income is below the poverty threshold. Please refer to the current funding round program Guidelines for more information.

The 2027-2029 Public School Districts and Tribal Compact Schools application period is now CLOSED. We appreciate your patience as we review all of the projects that have applied for funding to this program since the application cycle opened on April 1, 2026. Applicants will be notified of preliminary application review results by August 14, 2026 .

You can find more information about the 2027-2029 Public School Districts and Tribal Compact Schools Funding Cycle under the Internal Resources section of this page. The 2025-2027 Expansion and Maintenance application period is now CLOSED. Award decisions were made in late April, and all applicants are notified, whether successful or not by May 2026.

Application Denied webinar slides Eligible Organizations Debriefing Webinar – English (PDF) Eligible Organizations Debriefing Webinar – Spanish (PDF) Eligible Organizations Debriefing Webinar – Somali (PDF) You can find more information about the 2025-2027 Expansion and Maintenance Funding Cycle under the Internal Resources section of this page.

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Commerce has selected three CDFI partners, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft3 to run our loan program. See the WELL Fund Flyer for more information or go to the Washington Early Learning Loan Fund website .

2027-2029 Public School District and Tribal Compact Schools Program Guidelines (PDF) 2025-2027 State Funding – Public School Districts Program Guidelines (PDF) 2025-2027 Expansion and Maintenance Program Guidelines (PDF) 2023-2025 State Funding – Health and Safety Minor Renovations Program Guidelines (PDF) 2023-2025 State Funding – Eligible Organizations Guidelines (PDF) 2023-2025 State Funding – K-12 School Districts Guidelines (PDF) Previous Round Notice of Funding Opportunity 2027-2029 Public School District and Tribal Compact Schools NOFO (PDF) 2025-2027 Expansion and Maintenance NOFO (PDF) Expansion and Maintenance eligible and ineligible costs Expansion Projects Eligible and Ineligible Costs (PDF) Maintenance Projects Eligible and Ineligible Cost (PDF) Funding rounds awardees and reports 2017-2027 Competitive Eligible Organization Comprehensive Awards List (PDF) 2024 Early Learning Facilities Report to the Legislature (PDF) Washington Early Learning Loan (WELL) Fund Annual Report (PDF) (English) The Imagine Institute is available to provide language assistance in the applicants preferred language.

Please contact The Imagine Institute at 206-492-5249 or email CCSG@imaginewa. org (Spanish) El Imagine Institute está disponible para brindar asistencia lingüística en el idioma preferido de los solicitantes. Comuníquese con The Imagine Institute llamando al 206-492-5249 o envíe un correo electrónico a CCSG@imaginewa.

org (Somali) Waxay Imagine Institute diyaar kuula tahay in ay bixiso caawimaad luuqadeed codsadayaasha arjiga luuqada ay doorbidayaan. Fadlan la Xariir Imagine Institute ee 206-492-5249 ama emayl CCSG@imaginewa. org Note: Official grant applications, contracting processes and reimbursement processes are all in English.

Project development assistance For applicants who are unsure which funding round or category is the best suited for their project, we are providing Project Development slides for assistance in determining the appropriate path in their project development: English Project Development Slides (PDF) Spanish Project Development Slides (PDF) Somali Project Development Slides (PDF) Frequently asked questions 2025-2027 ENGLISH Expansion and Maintenance FAQ (PDF) Childcare licensing information Department of Children, Youth, and Families Pre-licensing: DCYF.

Welcome@dcyf. wa. gov Tribal Relations: DCYF.

TribalRelations@dcyf. wa. gov ECEAP: DCYF.

ECEAP@dcyf. wa. gov Subsidy (providers only): ProviderHelp@dcyf.

wa. gov DCYF Child Care / Early Learning Providers Technical Assistance DCYF Early Learning & Child Care Offices Enterprise Community Partners Program Director Pacific Northwest jsalinasaguila@enterprisecommunity.

org ChildCare Aware Washington Listings for “Washington State Regional Coalitions for Early Learning” Washington Communities for Children USDA and HHS Joint Resource Guide – To strengthen and expand child care facilities in rural communities .

Other technical assistance Local Area Chamber of Commerce The Chamber of Commerce in many local areas may be able to provide assistance with the application, pre-contracting and reimbursement documents and processes. Contact the local Chamber of Commerce in your area for more information.

Small Business Resiliency Network Partners of the Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) provide culturally and linguistically relevant assistance and other business support services at no cost to entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits – with an emphasis on those owned by historically marginalized and underserved persons – throughout Washington.

For an interactive map in your area: Small Business Resiliency Network Childcare Business Feasibility Estimator Washington STEM is providing a tool to assist childcare providers investigate different business approaches. The Childcare Business Feasibility Estimator is designed to help potential childcare business owners understand the likely costs, revenues, and feasibility for their childcare business idea. RCW 43.

31. 565 through RCW 43. 31.

583 2021-23 Program Legislation: SHB 1080, Sections 1057 and 1083 (PDF) 2019-21 Program Legislation: SHB 1102, Section 1037 (PDF) 2017-19 Program Legislation: HB 1777 (PDF) , ESSB 6095, Section 1005 (PDF) Community Capital Facilities For all program related questions, please email EarlyLearningFacilities@commerce. wa. gov .