Early Learning Facilities Program
The Department of Commerce manages funding awarded through direct appropriation and competitive processes that establish new capacity for early learning providers. The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program supports Washington’s commitment of developing 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, Craft 3 and the Early Learning Facilities Advisory Board.

Our Program
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.
Commerce’s ELF program funding opportunities consists of four parts:
- Competitive grants to eligible organizations
- Competitive grants to K-12 school districts
- Direct appropriations from the Legislature
- A grant and loan program operated by Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft3.
Funding Availability Information
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 costs may include acquisition, design, engineering, third-party construction management, and construction and capitalized equipment costs associated with building early learning facilities. If funding is provided for the acquisition of a building or land, the acquisition must have the resulting outcome of a facility that increases early learning opportunities for children from low-income households.
2023-2025 Early Learning Facilities Funding Availability
Anticipated Grant RoundsEligible Organizations Expansion Grants | Fall 2023* | $42,050,000 |
Minor Renovation Non-Expansion Grants | Winter 2023* | $5,000,000 |
* Timelines are subject to change.
Eligible Organizations Funding Round Planning Timeline:
Grant Program Information for Early Learning and Child Care Providers
2023-2025 Eligible Organizations Competitive Grant
Opening 7:00AM, August 1, 2023 in ZoomGrants
Pre-Applications Closed at 5:00PM on August 22, 2023. Only approved pre-applications are eligible to proceed to the General Application.
General Applications must be received by 6:00 PM on Monday, October 16, 2023.
Applications received after this date and time will not be accepted for any reason.
Awards are expected to be announced in late winter 2024.
Please do not contact program staff for updates. Updates will be provided by email through ZoomGrants and posted here.
Click Here to Open the Grant Application in ZoomGrants
(Application will be available starting at 7:00AM August 1, 2023)
Program Guidelines:
- Program Guidelines – English (PDF)
- Program Guidelines – Spanish (PDF)
- Program Guidelines – Somali (PDF)
Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO):
- Notice of Funding Opportunity (to include a preview of the application questions) – English (PDF)
- Notice of Funding Opportunity (to include a preview of the application questions) – Spanish (PDF)
- Notice of Funding Opportunity (to include a preview of the application questions) – Somali (PDF)
Note: Official grant applications, contracting processes and reimbursement processes are all in English.
Early Learning Facilities Grant Program Virtual Workshop Resources:
- English
- Spanish
- Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Click here for the press release with a list of the 2021-2023 Eligible Organization awardees.
Technical Assistance Available:
(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
Pre-Applications must be received in ZoomGrants by 5:00PM Tuesday, August 22, 2023.
Applications received after this date and time will not be accepted for any reason.
If approved to proceed to the General Application, eligible applicants will be notified by Friday, September 1, 2023.
***Family Home Facilities may not request more than 50% of the home’s current appraised value***
2023-2025 Minor Renovations Grant
This program is currently under development and is scheduled to be released in the winter of 2024.
Please sign up for email updates on this page (in the right column) to be notified of program updates.
Public School District Funding Round
Congratulations to the following School Districts who received awards in the 2023-2025 Public School District Funding Round:
District | Project Name | Amount |
---|---|---|
Bethel School District | Elementary #19 Preschool Addition | $1,036,800 |
Highline Public Schools | Valley View Early Learning Expansion | $776,640 |
Issaquah School District | Holley Street Early Learning Center | $1,014,720 |
Orondo School District | Old School House Early Learning Center | $1,036,800 |
South Bend School District | Inclusive Outdoor Education and Play | $288,000 |
Toppenish School District | Toppenish Preschool and ECEAP | $1,036,800 |
Total Awarded | $5,189,760 |
The next Public Schools funding round is anticipated to open in Spring of 2024.
Refer to the Funding Round Planning Timeline below to get a head start on planning and please sign up for email updates on this webpage to be notified of future grant opportunities.
Funding Round Planning Timeline (PDF).
2023-2025 Early Learning Facilities Funding
Funding Category | Total Appropriation | Number of Projects Awarded |
---|---|---|
Public School Districts | $5,189,760 | 6 |
Direct Appropriation | $17,236,000 | 8 |
Eligible Organizations | $42,050,000 | TBD |
Minor Renovations | $5,000,000 | TBD |
Total | $69,475,760 | TBD |
CDFI
Commerce has selected three CDFI partners, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft 3 to run our loan program. See the WELL Fund Flyer for more information or go to the Washington Early Learning Loan Fund website.
Related Law
RCW 43.31.565 through RCW 43.31.583
Link to 2021-23 Program Legislation:
SHB 1080, Sections 1057 and 1083 ESHB 1370
Link to 2019-21 Program Legislation:
SHB 1102, Section 1037
Links to 2017-19 Program Legislation:
HB 1777
ESSB 6095, Section 1005
Program Guidelines
Funding Round Awardees
Questions?
For all program related questions, please email: earlylearningfacilities@commerce.wa.gov
Child Care Licensing Information
Department of Children, Youth, and Families
Jody Hitchings
Pre-Licensing Unit Supervisor
jody.hitchings@dcyf.wa.gov
Phone: 360-271-4214
Grace Ssebugwawo
Community Funded ECEAP/Early Learning Facilities Specialist
Grace.Ssebugwawo@dcyf.wa.gov
Phone: 360-701-7197
Kelcy Shaffer
ECEAP Operations Manager
Kelcy.Shaffer@dcyf.wa.gov
Phone: 360-407-3663
DCYF Child Care / Early Learning Providers Technical Assistance
DCYF Early Learning & Child Care Offices
Enterprise Community Partners
Juanita Salinas-Aguila
Program Director Pacific Northwest
jsalinasaguila@enterprisecommunity.org
Phone: 206-223-4518
ChildCare Aware Washington
Phone: 253-383-1735
Listings for “Washington State Regional Coalitions for Early Learning”