1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund is sponsored by State of Louisiana (administered by The Rapides Foundation and potentially other Early Childhood Lead Agencies). A state matching fund offering local entities in Louisiana a dollar-for-dollar match on investments made to expand access to quality early care and education for children who need it most.
Get a weekly digest of new grants like this
A free weekly digest of new foundation and federal funding opportunities as they're added to Granted. Unsubscribe anytime.
Or search similar grants →Extracted from the opportunity page linked on this listing to help you evaluate fit faster.
Rapides Foundation > Grants > Cenla Early Childhood Education Access Program Grant Cenla Early Childhood Education Access Program Grant The grant proposal submission period for the Cenla Early Childhood Education Access Grant funding opportunity is closed.
Children who attend high-quality early care and education programs enter kindergarten better prepared, have fewer referrals to special education services, fewer grade retentions, and increased likelihood to graduate high school. Unfortunately, in The Rapides Foundation service area only 31% of low-income children under age four have access to publicly funded programs.
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to provide Early Childhood Network Lead Agencies with local funds needed to utilize the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund. The Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund offers local entities in Louisiana a dollar-for-dollar match on investments made to expand access to quality early care and education for children who need it most.
These funds can only be used to support scholarships for families with children birth-to-three that need assistance. An Early Childhood Lead Agency can request funds from the State and must make this request by September of each year. The Foundation recognizes that rural districts have limited capacity to plan and raise local funds in such a short period of time.
This funding opportunity provides funds for three years to be used as the local match. This will allow agencies to show the value of the program and develop a long-term plan for sustainability while increasing access for families that need it the most. Grant awards will be based on the number of seats each network can provide.
It is a tiered funding structure that includes a base funding rate that will decrease each year and 1:1 incentive funds that will increase each year. The 1:1 incentive funds are contingent on local fundraising and will provide a dollar-for-dollar match to local funds raised. The base funding is not contingent upon fundraising.
See the Request for Proposals in the Key Materials section for more information. Funds are available for three academic years starting with the 2025-26 school year. Funds will provide a base rate of 75% of the needed match in Year 1, 50% in Year 2 and 25% in Year 3.
The remaining incentive funds are available for a dollar-for-dollar match to local funds raised. The primary applicant (grant fiscal agent) must meet the following requirements: Must be eligible to apply for funds from the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund. Classified as a Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code or a governmental entity.
Cannot be a private foundation under Section 509(a). Must be an organization within The Rapides Foundation Service Area or seeking funding support for projects restricted to the Foundation’s nine parishes. Proposal Submission Process Proposals should be submitted using The Rapides Foundaton’s online application portal.
To start a new application, use the Start a New Application button in the right column. Once an application has been started, use the Return to My Application button in the right column or click on Grantee Login which is at the bottom of every page of the Foundation’s website. Applicants should thoroughly review the detailed Request for Proposals and supporting documents prior to proposal submission.
(See Key Materials in right column.) Interested applicants are encouraged to contact The Rapides Foundation for guidance before submitting their proposal package. Contact information is located in the right column.
August 23, 2024, at 4 p. m. : Proposals Due September 27, 2024 : Notification of Award January 1, 2025 : Grant Start Date Proposal deadline: Friday, August 23, 2024, no later than 4:00 p.
m. CT Important Note: The proposal must be fully submitted by the application due date, therefore, you must begin uploading the completed proposal and supporting documents prior to 4:00 p. m.
Central Time. We suggest you allow a minimum of three (3) hours for the upload process Please review thoroughly before applying. Cenla ECE Access Program Grant Request for Proposals Cenla ECE Access Program Rapides Foundation 2025-28 Budget Worksheet Cenla ECE Access Grant Signature Page LDOE 2024-25 ECE Fund Guidance For questions related to this funding opportunity, contact:
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Local entities, specifically Early Childhood Network Lead Agencies, that are eligible to apply for funds from the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund is funded by State of Louisiana (administered by The Rapides Foundation and potentially other Early Childhood Lead Agencies). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Louisiana. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
The Caregiver Supports and Opportunities for Early Learning RFP closes October 22, 2026 with $500,000 to $1 million awards over three years. Four excluded service categories and a requirement to combine at least two activity types reshape who is competitive — and current grantees on this objective are barred outright.
Read articleThe September 29, 2026 USDA-HUD memorandum of understanding delivers what Section 802 of the ROAD to Housing Act required. Three of its four commitments are agreements to evaluate. The fourth freezes 24 CFR part 58 at its January 1, 2025 text and routes every categorical-exclusion change through notice-and-comment rulemaking.
Read articleOn November 5, 2026, the Bainum Family Foundation raised its spending commitment to up to 10% of its endowment and created a 5% Catalytic Capital Portfolio. How early childhood groups can reach it.
Read article