FY25 Early Childhood Innovative Literacy Program

The Early Childhood Innovative Literacy Program (ECILP) is a competitive grant opportunity administered by the Nevada Department of Education. It is designed to promote innovative approaches in early childhood education throughout the state of Nevada, particularly targeting children under the age of six. This initiative places emphasis on improving literacy and school readiness for young children, particularly in areas where there is a greater proportion of children in need. The ECILP does not replace existing funding streams, but rather supplements them to encourage programmatic growth and effectiveness. Applicants that can demonstrate additional support from private or federal funding sources will be prioritized in the evaluation process. The ECILP offers funding in three distinct opportunity areas. Opportunity Area #1 supports the expansion of access to high-quality preschool and is open to both new and existing Nevada Ready! State Prekindergarten (NR!PK) sub-recipients. This area focuses on increasing enrollment and programmatic reach for state pre-K initiatives. Opportunity Area #2 seeks to establish innovative new programs or enhance existing early literacy programs that serve children under six, their families, and early childhood educators. Opportunity Area #3 provides funding for infrastructure improvements. These funds can be used for capital costs to modify or retrofit existing buildings in order to increase service capacity for pre-kindergarten students. However, new construction such as portable classrooms or new centers is not an allowable cost under this opportunity. Only certain entities are eligible to apply for ECILP funding. These include school districts, sponsors of charter schools, and nonprofit organizations. Applicants must clearly articulate how their proposed projects will serve pre-K children, particularly in the case of infrastructure modifications. Eligibility for Opportunity Area #3 also requires that applicants be current NR!PK recipients or apply concurrently to ECILP Opportunity Area #1. Applications for the FY25 cycle of the ECILP closed on May 30, 2024. While the funding round is currently closed, the presence of technical assistance sessions and annual funding cycles suggests that the program is recurring. The Department of Education previously held a Technical Assistance Zoom Webinar to guide applicants through the requirements and process. Application materials included a narrative form, budget summary template, certification, general state assurances, and a pre-award assessment questionnaire. Evaluation criteria were made available through scoring rubrics and budget preparation guidelines. The submission process for ECILP is competitive. Each opportunity area is scored separately, and applicants are expected to submit clearly structured materials to demonstrate need, alignment with program goals, and capacity for effective implementation. Programs that cite demonstrated success in similar efforts or show strong community and funding support are more likely to receive favorable evaluations. Capital project proposals must provide clear evidence that retrofitting efforts will directly result in increased service for children under six. For more information, applicants and interested stakeholders can contact the Nevada Department of Education via its Carson City or Las Vegas offices. While the grant cycle has closed for FY25, it is advisable for prospective applicants to begin preparations for the next funding round, as the program appears to be recurring. Materials and resources from the FY25 cycle, such as the Notice of Funding Opportunity and scoring rubrics, may serve as useful references in future application periods.