The Early Childcare Initiative Grant is offered by the Salina Area United Way, an organization dedicated to strengthening the community by addressing critical local needs. The organization’s mission focuses on three priority areas: health, education, and financial stability. Their goals include increasing the number of youth and adults who are healthy and avoiding risky behaviors, raising the graduation rate, and reducing the number of financially unstable families in the Salina area.
The purpose of this grant is to address identified community needs specifically related to childcare workforce wages. Funding requests must align with the overarching mission and goals of the Salina Area United Way. The grant funds are intended to supplement the wage gap for early childhood educators, aiming to increase pay rates to approximately $15 per hour for Teachers’ Assistants and $18 per hour for Lead Teachers. This funding is not intended to meet every childcare-related need but rather to target the critical issue of workforce compensation.
Funding for this grant is determined annually by the Salina Area United Way Board of Directors. Organizations may receive the Early Childcare Initiative Grant only once within a 12-month period, though exceptions may be considered if the applying organization is serving as a fiscal agent for another organization. Due to limited available funding, partial grants may be awarded at the discretion of the Salina Area United Way.
Applications must be submitted using the official Early Childcare Initiative Grant Policy and Application form. All applications must be complete—any missing information will result in disqualification from consideration. Applications must be submitted via email to Michelle Groopman at mgroopman@unitedwaysalina.org. The application review process, conducted by Salina Area United Way staff and volunteers, can take up to 45 days to complete.
The application deadline for this funding opportunity is March 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM Central Time. This is a fixed deadline, and there is no indication that the grant is offered on a rolling basis. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the policy and application materials carefully and ensure they provide all required information to avoid disqualification. The Salina Area United Way office is located at 113 N 7th Street, Suite 201, Salina, KS 67401, and can be reached by phone at 785-827-1312.
