Early Care and Education Grants

The Early Care and Education Grant Program, offered by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), supports early childhood development efforts for children from birth to age five across its 20-county service area in southern Minnesota. The program provides targeted financial support to organizations working to improve the health, development, and care of young children, especially those from underserved and diverse populations. The funding is designed to help sustain and enhance early care and education services in the region. Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, public institutions, and units or agencies of local, state, federal, and tribal government. Only one application per organization is permitted. For-profit entities, individuals, and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits are ineligible. SMIF prioritizes projects that serve diverse communities and encourages proposals that address the needs of populations often underrepresented or lacking access to high-quality early care. Allowable activities include supporting children's social, emotional, physical, and mental health needs; providing training and professional development for early care professionals; and any other activity essential to sustaining early childhood services. Projects must align with the age range of birth to five and be completed within a one-year period from the grant award date. The total grant pool for the program is $200,000, with individual award requests capped at $20,000. Applications are evaluated competitively. SMIF conducts mid-year check-ins to assess progress and requires a final report within 60 days of the project’s conclusion. Awards are publicly announced to showcase community impact. For the 2025 cycle, applications opened on October 8 and are due by November 5 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. The review process, which may include site visits, takes place from November through January, and award notifications will be issued in early January 2026. Applications must be submitted online via SMIF’s GoApply platform. Contact information is available for support during the application process. This grant is part of SMIF’s ongoing commitment to fostering regional vitality through strategic investments in early childhood education. By funding efforts that directly serve young children and families, the program aims to strengthen foundational systems of care throughout southern Minnesota.

Align project goals to underserved youth and early childhood education outcomes; ensure proposal supports children ages 0–5; emphasize mental and emotional health benefits.