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Riverside County Family Child Care Association>
How to Obtain Grants
December 18, 2007
How to Obtain Grants for Your Child Day Care Center
By David Chandler
Today childcare centers are gaining importance as a
profitable business. Many people are seeking advice to
obtain grants to start their own childcare center, expand
their program, or upgrade their facilities.
One way to locate financing for your childcare business is
to:
Check with your local bank
Research and obtain venture capital
Seek gifts and loans from family and friends
Look for advice from incubator organizations
Obtain counsel from local small business and women's
associations
In a few states, special loan programs have been developed
to help childcare centers access immediate funds at
affordable rates, like Washington and Oregon's Cascadian
Child Care Fund.
On-line Resources
Independent childcare business owners can also try the
Foundation Grants to Individuals Online, a service of The
Foundation Center at http://www.fdncenter.org. For a small
fee per month (payable by credit card), the Foundation
Center offers online listings of Grants to Individuals in
the U.S.
Requesting Guidelines and Applications
Once you have completed your initial research and found
potential grant funding, the next step involves contacting
them and request their latest application and funding
guidelines. If the program is operated by a foundation,
also request their annual report. It is a good idea to view
some common grant applications online so you know what to
look for when your information comes in.
Grant/Funding Information Processing
Once you have received various funding information packets
and applications, read them carefully and make notes about
specific guidelines. Review which of the funding
opportunities are available for a childcare center and
whether your business plan fits their criteria. Examples of
information you would find on a funding information packet
would be: the type of program for which funding is
available, eligibility requirements, location and
populations served, and application deadlines, and so on.
Contact Funding Agencies Directly
Funding guidelines and applications can be quite extensive.
While reviewing the guidelines and application, make notes
of any questions you may have. Most funding agencies will
assist you in completing your application for funding, and
will appreciate that you have taken the time to get all the
facts before submitting your proposal. Funding proposals
are often set aside and not reviewed due to incomplete
information, therefore it is critical to review your
application to ensure you have met all the eligibility
requirements and submitted all the necessary paperwork.
Prepare Your Cover Letter and Proposal
A cover letter is usually required with each proposal
submitted. Again, check the guidelines of the funding
agencies. Each agency will have different paperwork
requirements.
Don't Give Up
The best advice you can receive as you begin your quest for
funding for your childcare center is not to become
discouraged. Funding agencies typically receive a lot more
proposals than they fund. So apply to more than one funding
organization, and follow each organization's instructions
very carefully as to what they want in a proposal, and you
will have a much better chance of obtaining funding for
your childcare center.
David Chandler
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