Early Childhood: Tips and Places to Find Funding

• Look for both public and private funding sources
• Study funding sources to learn their priorities and funding process
• Customize your appeal to their priorities and your needs
• Be concise-snappy headings & single pages
• Utilize personal contacts and follow up letters
• Collaborative appeals strengthen your requests
• Don't forget to acknowledge contributions

Places to Look for Funding*

Federal, State, and County Public Agencies

• Children's Trust Fund
• Department of Health and Family Services through Local County Departments:
  —Family Preservation
  —Birth to 3
  —Maternal Child Health
• Department of Public Instruction and through the local schools:
  —Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants
  —Goals 2000 grants
  —Family Community Schools Action Team Seed Grants
  —Title 1
  —Even Start
  —AODA projects
• Head Start
• UW-Extension: School Readiness Assessment Projects
• Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

Your Community Employers and Stores; such as: the Target and Weyerhaeuser

Your Partners and Vendors; for example a parent council member asked his construction union to help build an accessible ramp.

Community Organizations/Associations/Service Groups; such as: United Way, ministerial groups and other funding organizations.

Foundations and Philanthropic Groups; such as Children's Miracle Network and the Otto Bremmer Foundation

* These sources are currently being used by communities to fund activities of their early childhood groups.

For questions about this information, contact Jill A. Haglund (608) 267-9625

Last updated on 2/25/2008 9:07:47 AM