- This page, Bidders Conference - Large Capital Grants for Non-Profit Programs, is offered by
- Department of Early Education and Care
Bidders Conference - Large Capital Grants for Non-Profit Programs
Overview of Bidders Conference - Large Capital Grants for Non-Profit Programs
The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) are pleased to announce the availability of FY2025 funding through the Early Education and Out of School Time (EEOST) Capital Fund to provide critical resources necessary to sustain the Commonwealth’s essential child care infrastructure. The FY2025 EEOST Capital Fund Large Grants round will award grants up to $1,000,000 to large group early education and out-of-school time programs to offset expenses for critical capital improvements. This bidders conference will walk through the application process.
FUNDING USES
EEOST funding is intended to provide center-based early education and out-of-school time care facilities with resources to make renovations that enhance health and safety, for costs incurred on or after December 16, 2023. Organizations whose projects will be 100% complete at any point between the time of the Pre-Application through award announcements cannot apply for EEOST Large Grant Program funding for reimbursement and such applications will not be considered.
These uses include but are not limited to:
- Acquisition of property or buildings
- EEOST funding can be utilized for rehabilitation of an eligible facility that may include, but is not limited to, major systems replacement, reconfiguration of classrooms, administrative and staff spaces, and redesign and renovation of outdoor space
- Soft costs directly related to the development of a facility.
ELIGIBILITY
As outlined in the original EEOST Capital Fund legislation, main eligibility criteria include but are not limited to the following:
- Applicants must be a non-profit, center-based program;
- Applicants must have a valid license from EEC in good standing for the project site;
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate that at least 50% of the project site’s enrollment is comprised of low-income children. This is defined as having at least 50% of the site’s enrollment comprised of children who receive EEC child care subsidy, attend a Head Start slot, or receive another form of public subsidy. If this is a new site, then the applicant organization’s total licensed enrollment must serve or exceed 50% subsidized slots. When complete, the EEOST-funded facility must provide services to at least 50% of its capacity to low-income families who are eligible for public subsidy
Please note that organizations that received an EEOST grant in the years FY2014 – FY2020, or a large grant round in FY2024 (up to $1,000,000) are not eligible to apply for this year’s Large Grant Program round for the same site. Organizations that received an EEOST grant for the same site in the years FY2021, FY2022, FY2023, or the small grant round in FY2024 (up to $500,000) are eligible to apply for the same site through this round. Organizations that received an EEOST grant for other sites in any year are eligible to apply for this program. However, organizations cannot apply to both the FY25 small grant and FY25 large grant EEOST rounds for the same site.
Applications will be reviewed and scored with the expectation that construction will begin by September 30, 2026. Please note that if your project involves substantial renovation, construction, or HVAC work, you must have already worked with a development team and be far along in the process to be competitive.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Application materials and Program Guidelines and Regulations will be posted on COMMBUYS on October 1, 2024.
This year, pre-applications must be submitted online via the following link:
https://www.cognitoforms.com/ChildrensInvestmentFund1/EEOSTFY25PreApplicationLargeGrant
Pre-applications will be due at 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time on December 16, 2024. EEC will host virtual information sessions on October 28, 2024 at 11AM and October 30, 2024 at 2:00PM. Organizations invited to submit a full application by EEC will submit the full application and materials by 11:59PM EST on April 14, 2025 using a different online link that will be shared with those invited to apply.
For any questions, please contact the Children’s Investment Fund team at EEOST.LG@cif-ma.org
Or the EEC EEOST general mailbox at jose.mendez@mass.gov