Early Childhood Education & Development Fund

The Early Childhood Education and Development Fund is an initiative of Buncombe County, North Carolina, designed to ensure every child in the county has equitable access to quality early education during their formative years—referred to as the “first 2,000 days.” This grant program was formally established by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on October 30, 2018, under Resolution #18-10-16, in response to persistent shortages in quality early childhood care, affordability barriers for families, and a lack of qualified educators and staff across childcare settings. The fund reflects the county’s long-term commitment to invest in young children, with an annual allocation that began at $3.6 million in FY2020 and is adjusted upward by 2% each year. For FY2027, the anticipated total fund budget is $4,054,185, pending adoption of the county’s annual budget. Funding supports a wide range of early care and education services, especially those targeting children from birth through kindergarten. Emphasis is placed on preschool and pre-kindergarten programs, although projects involving infants and toddlers are also eligible. The fund distinguishes the term "pre-kindergarten" more broadly than state-level NC Pre-K programming, including all qualifying initiatives for four-year-old rising kindergarteners. Projects may request funding to support strategic objectives such as expanding the early childhood workforce, maintaining or increasing slots, improving quality, supporting families, or strengthening the overall early childhood education system. Capital requests are restricted to public school systems and must be related to planning, construction, or infrastructure expansion for early education purposes. All organization types may apply—including public/governmental agencies, nonprofits, and private businesses—as long as they operate in and serve Buncombe County. Fiscal sponsorship is allowed for organizations that don’t directly meet the criteria. Projects must fulfill a public purpose and comply with funding authority under North Carolina General Statutes. Grant applications must be submitted to the most relevant county program; organizations may not apply to more than one county grant for the same project. The grant application opens January 5, 2026, and closes February 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM. A virtual grant writing workshop is scheduled for January 15, 2026, and consultation calls with staff are available from January 5 to February 19, 2026. The application consists of 16 structured questions, including project strategies, organizational capacity, demonstration of community need, detailed budget narratives, anticipated outcomes, population demographics served, collaboration plans, and sustainability considerations. Projects requesting funds for slots or workforce-related efforts must provide additional quantitative data regarding staff positions, enrollment capacity, and subsidy utilization. Staff consultations are encouraged, but applicants are asked not to communicate directly with committee members. All applications must be submitted via the Buncombe County grant portal. The Early Childhood Education and Development Committee, which consists of 15 appointed members representing various sectors including education, medicine, parent advocates, and the general public, oversees the review process. Applications are evaluated using a standardized scoring rubric worth up to 25 points, assessing project need, implementation plan, expected results, organizational capacity, and budget alignment. Recommended projects will be included in the County Manager’s proposed budget, reviewed by the Board of Commissioners in May 2026, and finalized with budget adoption in June. The funding year runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. All awards are governed by performance-based contracts and include stringent financial and programmatic reporting requirements. For additional information, applicants may contact Angelyn Johnson, Strategic Partnerships Grant Manager, at [email protected].