High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats

High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats is sponsored by Agenda for Children. Provides funding to support classrooms serving children with high-support needs, potentially including AI-assisted education programs.

High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats (2025) | Agenda for Children The Early Childhood Opportunity (ECHO) Fund is an innovative grant program that seeks to increase access to high-quality early care and education for Louisiana children, birth through age four, by directly funding childcare programs and the nonprofits that serve them.

Since 2018, the Early Childhood Opportunity (ECHO) Fund has enhanced early childhood education by providing over 2,300 grants totaling more than $ 13 million. Our ongoing commitment is to increase access, foster ingenuity, and elevate the quality of early learning in the region. The ECHO Fund is proud to announce the High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats!

The High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats is now open for applications! This funding opportunity is designed to support classrooms serving children with high-support needs within the City Seats program. The grant provides funding to help cover the costs of employing a Developmental Support Educator (DSE) —a highly qualified educator with specialized training in early childhood intervention and support.

Alternative proposals that significantly enhance early childhood intervention and support may also be considered. The goal of this grant is to stabilize classroom environments, support educators, and improve outcomes for children facing unique challenges.

Apply for the High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats Application Opens: Monday, February 17, 2025 Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 5:00 PM To be eligible to apply, your early childhood site must meet ALL of the following requirements: ✅ Located in Orleans Parish ✅ A licensed Type III Provider ✅ An active participant in the City Seats program ✅ In good standing with LDOE Licensing requirements and Agenda for Children ✅ Demonstrate a significant need for additional classroom support The early childhood education landscape faces a pressing challenge—ensuring that children with developmental delays and behavioral challenges receive the support they need to thrive.

High Five is more than just a call to action; it’s a framework designed to address this urgent need by providing funding and resources that foster classroom stability, empower educators, and enhance intervention strategies for positive learning outcomes.

Rooted in five essential pillars of impact , High Five prioritizes child-centered approaches, teacher support, evidence-based interventions, collaborative growth, and long-term sustainability. By investing in these key areas, we can create lasting change that benefits children, educators, and communities alike.

“High” represents the high need for more programs and funding to support early childhood education, in particular, providers serving children with developmental delays, and behavioral challenges. It signifies the urgency to provide resources that enhance classroom stability, teacher support, and intervention strategies to promote positive learning outcomes for all children.

“Five” represents the Five Pillars of Impact that each funded program must demonstrate: Child-Centered Focus : Addressing the specific needs of children with developmental delays or challenging behaviors. Teacher Support: Cultivating classroom stability and alleviating teacher stress. Intervention Effectiveness : Implementing evidence-based strategies for children with high-needs.

Collaborative, Collective Growth : Sharing knowledge and fostering a community of highly qualified educators through professional development alongside providers. Sustainability : Developing long-term plans to maintain and expand support for children with exceptionalities, developmental delays, or challenging behaviors. All applications must be submitted through Foundant , the ECHO Fund’s Grant Management System.

Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your classroom support and enhance early childhood outcomes! Please review the High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats Application, the High Five ECHO Fund Grant for City Seats Scoring Rubric, and the High Five Informational Webinar below as part of your preparation to apply. https://agendaforchildren.

org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/high-five-webinar. mp4 Who is eligible for this grant? Only City Seats providers in Orleans parish who are in good standing with all applicable requirements.

Can I apply if I am not a City Seats provider? No - only City Seats providers are eligible for this grant. What can grants be used for?

The goal of this grant is to stabilize classroom environments, support educators, and improve outcomes for children facing unique challenges. Funds can be used toward employing a Developmental Support Educator (DSE). This can be someone new or someone already on staff.

The salary of this staff member may not be less than $40k/year. Applicants who have alternative proposals with strong justification will also be considered. Where can I go if I have more questions?

All questions regarding the ECHO fund can be directed to echofund@agendaforchildren. org . Support is available during our regularly scheduled hours of operation (M-F, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM).

I have more than one site. How do I submit multiple applications? Instructions for Submitting Multiple Applications To submit multiple applications, you should: 1.

Submit the grant application as normal for your first site 2. You may create your second application via "copy and edit" of your initial application to save time (link to instructions) You can create your second application "from scratch" by returning to the "apply" page (see top of screen). 3.

Repeat this process as needed until you have submitted an application for each of your sites, as needed. Contact the ECHO Grant Team at echofund@agendaforchildren. org .

Support is available during our regularly scheduled hours of operation (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM). You can make Louisiana a state in which all children can thrive!