Education Gap Grant
for Early Childhood Educators
A Bridge for the Gap Between You and Your Goals
The Education Gap Grant for Early Childhood Educators offers grant funds to early childhood educators who are seeking additional early childhood education credentials and need a small amount of funding to fill a financial “gap” to reach their goal.
Early childhood educators may request up to $1000 to address a financial barrier to continuing education. Launched in November 2022, this program is generously funded by an anonymous donor.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be currently working in a Child Development Division-regulated early childhood education center-based program, family child care home, and/or public preschool program serving children between the ages of 0 and 5. Applicants must also have a financial need that prohibits them from starting or continuing their higher education.
How to Apply:
Applications for the Education Gap Grant are accepted year-round. Applications can be completed in the Mini Grants Portal by clicking the button below. Please note, you will need to create and/or update a Profile before starting the application.
Please fill out the application completely and include all required information. After you apply, your application will be reviewed by the VTAEYC review committee. You may receive a request for more information, documentation, or clarification; please respond in a timely fashion.
For More Information:
The Grant Guidelines will provide additional information and should be read through before completing an application. Please see below for some answers to frequently asked questions.
If you have any additional questions about the Education Gap Grant for Early Childhood Educators, please email pdsupports@vtaeyc.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the Education Gap Grant is not intended to fund annual professional development training hours. It is intended to address gaps in funding that allow individual early childhood educators to earn specific post-secondary degrees and credentials.
No, you do not have to be a Vermont resident, but you must be working in a regulated Vermont program.
- You can find information about grants available to early childhood educations by visiting https://www.vsac.org/sites/default/files/uploads/pdf_resources/Early%20Childhood%20funding%2022-23.pdf. This document compares the eligibility requirements and features of many funding opportunities for higher education for early childhood educators.
- VTAEYC staff are also happy to provide advice on options; please reach out to pdsupports@vtaeyc.org to connect.
Yes, the expectation is that an applicant will have sought out other sources of financial aid. If available financial aid doesn’t cover the full cost of tuition and fees, the applicant should submit tuition statements showing other financial aid and the remaining need.
Yes, this funding can be used for multiple barriers at once but the total request may not exceed $1000. For example, if an applicant wanted to apply to cover the cost of books, a parking pass, and other fees to a higher education institution that would be allowable.
This grant is designed to support individuals taking steps to earn a higher education degree or a credential on the Early Childhood Career Ladder and/or obtaining a Program Director Credential. For more information, please visit https://northernlightsccv.org/career-development/early-childhood-career-ladder/.
Awardees are required to complete a funding report after funds are expended. This report will ask you to submit documentation that the funds were spent for the reason that they were awarded. We ask that you save your receipts as proof of documentation.
At this time, it is a one-time grant. Should the program continue beyond one year, we anticipate that early childhood educators would apply once per year as long as you still have a qualifying need.
Are You Ready to Reach New Heights?
Let the Gap Grant for Early Childhood Educators help you get there