Early Learning Fund

The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families administers the Early Learning Fund (CFDA 93.577), which has not disbursed grant awards since September 2005 — over 20 years ago. This program is no longer active.

The source records 29 total federal grant awards spanning 2001 to 2005, with activity concentrated in 2004 and 2005 (13 awards each year). The program funded local and regional early learning initiatives, including literacy programs, parent engagement efforts, and community-based early care and education coordination. Awarded projects included the Contra Costa Early Learning Project, the Greater Kansas City Early Learning Initiative, the Tehama Early Language and Learning Opportunities Project, and the Lake County Early Learning Collaborative. The portfolio consisted predominantly of Project Grants (28 awards, 97 percent) with one Block Grant.

All 29 awards were obligated by the Administration for Children and Families, the sole funding agency under this listing. The portfolio reports negative dollar values across all awards in the source data, indicating data quality issues in the underlying grant records; the actual obligations cannot be reliably determined from this source.

Representative recent awards include the Helping Young Kids Succeed in Thurston County Washington project (awarded September 2005), the Lake County Early Learning Collaborative (awarded September 2004), and the Contra Costa Early Learning Project (awarded September 2005). Typical award magnitudes across the 2004–2005 cohort ranged from under $1,000 to approximately $88,000 to $195,000 for larger initiatives.

No grant opportunities are currently open under this program. Given the 21-year hiatus in award activity, this listing should be marked inactive pending verification that the program remains eligible for new solicitation.