2024 CCR&R SRTC Workforce Echo Grant Program in Louisiana

The 2024 CCR&R SRTC Workforce Early Childhood Opportunity (ECHO) Grant, offered by the Agenda for Children in Louisiana, is designed to enhance the quality of early care and education for children aged birth through four. This innovative grant program directly funds childcare programs and the nonprofits that serve them, aligning with the Agenda for Children's mission to support early childhood development. The ECHO Fund aims to increase access to high-quality early learning environments by focusing on the critical aspect of workforce retention within the childcare sector. The primary beneficiaries of this grant are childcare providers, specifically Type I, II, or III Childcare Centers, and Family Childcare Centers (FCCs) with Academic Approval, located in specific Louisiana parishes. The grant explicitly excludes schools and stand-alone Head Start Programs. The ultimate impact goal is to stabilize and strengthen the early childhood workforce, which in turn leads to improved access to high-quality care for young children. By investing in the workforce, the program indirectly benefits thousands of children in the targeted regions. The grant prioritizes workforce retention, offering funds for one-time bonuses and salary subsidies for current and new staff. This includes all childcare staff such as teachers, floaters, cleaners, cooks, and administrative personnel, but specifically excludes directors and owners. Academically Approved Family Child Care Providers can also use funds to pay for substitutes. A key focus is to provide these funds as supplements, not for regular payroll, ensuring they act as incentives for retention and recruitment. Each approved site is expected to receive approximately $1,000 in workforce retention grant funding. The expected outcomes of the ECHO Grant include a more stable and better-compensated early childhood workforce, leading to reduced staff turnover and improved consistency in care for young children. Measurable results would involve tracking the number of childcare staff retained or newly hired through the grant funds, and potentially observing improvements in program quality or capacity due to enhanced staff stability. The Agenda for Children's strategic priority is to support the infrastructure of early childhood education, and this grant reflects a theory of change that posits that by investing directly in the workforce, the overall quality and accessibility of early learning for Louisiana children will improve.