Notice: The FY24 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats Grants Program is now closed. Applications are currently under review.
Alert...before submitting the grant application, please review:
1. Are you an MSDE licensed child care program located in Montgomery County?
2. Are you serving infants and toddlers (6 weeks - 3 years old)?
3. Are you published in Maryland EXCELS at levels 3, 4, or 5?
4. Are you accredited?
5. Does the educator working with infants/toddler have an AA degree in ECE or CDA in infants and toddlers plus 2 years experience?
If you answered YES to all of these questions, then you may be eligible for this grant.
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Early Childhood Services, in partnership with the Office of Grants Management (OGM), is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2024 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats Grant Program from licensed child care providers located in Montgomery County to cover the cost of quality child care funding for infants and toddler (age 6 weeks to 36 months) seats aligned with current trends for child care seats. The grant aims to enhance the availability of high-quality infant and toddler child care seats and address the needs of families that do not meet the eligibility criteria for current early childhood public programs.
FY24 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats award amounts will vary, with a total pool of $1,000,000. The minimum grant award that will be considered for any applicant is $282,720 for centers and letter of compliance programs and $57,504 for family child care and large family child care. Programs seeking funds would apply for a designated number of seats, and eligibility would be assessed according to County-established criteria. The performance period of these grant awards will extend through June 30, 2025. Organizations with more than one facility in the County must submit a separate application for each facility. Applicants will submit multi-year funding proposals of three (3) years but funding beyond the first 12 months will be contingent on both satisfactory project performance and future Council appropriations.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Application Closes: Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Sessions:
- Wednesday, January 17th, 2024, 6:00-7:00 PM (in English) - Click here to join on 1/17 or view a recording of the event
- Thursday, January 18, 2024, 1:00-2:00 PM (en español) - Click here to join on 1/18 or view a recording of the event
Program Documents:
- To learn more about the program eligibility, application questions and scoring criteria: Click here to download the full FY24 EquiCare Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity document in .pdf format.
- A standardized staffing template is provided and is also available within the NOFO document and within the application.
- A standardized budget template is provided and is also available within the NOFO document and within the application.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Visit to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here. If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing grants@montgomerycountymd.gov.
FY24 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats Grant Program
Notice: The FY24 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats Grants Program is now closed. Applications are currently under review.
Alert...before submitting the grant application, please review:
1. Are you an MSDE licensed child care program located in Montgomery County?
2. Are you serving infants and toddlers (6 weeks - 3 years old)?
3. Are you published in Maryland EXCELS at levels 3, 4, or 5?
4. Are you accredited?
5. Does the educator working with infants/toddler have an AA degree in ECE or CDA in infants and toddlers plus 2 years experience?
If you answered YES to all of these questions, then you may be eligible for this grant.
The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Early Childhood Services, in partnership with the Office of Grants Management (OGM), is soliciting grant applications for the County’s FY 2024 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats Grant Program from licensed child care providers located in Montgomery County to cover the cost of quality child care funding for infants and toddler (age 6 weeks to 36 months) seats aligned with current trends for child care seats. The grant aims to enhance the availability of high-quality infant and toddler child care seats and address the needs of families that do not meet the eligibility criteria for current early childhood public programs.
FY24 EquiCare: Subsidy Seats award amounts will vary, with a total pool of $1,000,000. The minimum grant award that will be considered for any applicant is $282,720 for centers and letter of compliance programs and $57,504 for family child care and large family child care. Programs seeking funds would apply for a designated number of seats, and eligibility would be assessed according to County-established criteria. The performance period of these grant awards will extend through June 30, 2025. Organizations with more than one facility in the County must submit a separate application for each facility. Applicants will submit multi-year funding proposals of three (3) years but funding beyond the first 12 months will be contingent on both satisfactory project performance and future Council appropriations.
Key dates for this program are:
- Application Opens: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Application Closes: Monday, February 5, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- MS Teams Live Virtual Information Sessions:
- Wednesday, January 17th, 2024, 6:00-7:00 PM (in English) - Click here to join on 1/17 or view a recording of the event
- Thursday, January 18, 2024, 1:00-2:00 PM (en español) - Click here to join on 1/18 or view a recording of the event
Program Documents:
- To learn more about the program eligibility, application questions and scoring criteria: Click here to download the full FY24 EquiCare Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity document in .pdf format.
- A standardized staffing template is provided and is also available within the NOFO document and within the application.
- A standardized budget template is provided and is also available within the NOFO document and within the application.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
In addition to submitting this application, organizations should also do the following:
- Register and create a profile on this platform for each team member who will be working on your application. Click on the green "Register" button in the top right corner to get started.
- Verify that your organization is registered with the Maryland State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT). Visit to the SDAT Business Express site to confirm. Even if your organization is registered in another jurisdiction, you must be registered with SDAT for Montgomery County to finalize an award with your organization.
- If your organization is not in Good Standing with SDAT, take the necessary steps to get back into Good Standing. SDAT will advise what steps are required. Montgomery County cannot finalize an award with you or organization if you are not in Good Standing. Your application for a grant could be disqualified if you are not in Good Standing.
- Register with the Montgomery County Central Vendor Registration System (CVRS) by clicking here. If you or your organization receives an award from the County then you will need to be registered with CVRS to receive payments.
Questions about the application process can be directed to Ali Hoy, Outgoing Grants Program Manager of the Office of Grants Management, by calling 240-773-3384 or emailing grants@montgomerycountymd.gov.