The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program supports Washington’s commitment to develop additional high quality early learning opportunities for children from low-income households. Commerce’s partners in the program are the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, Craft3 and the Early Learning Facilities Advisory Group.
The Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program aims to help Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) providers to expand, remodel, purchase, or construct early learning facilities and classrooms necessary to support early learning opportunities for children from low-income households.
Funding availability
Commerce’s ELF program funding opportunities consists of four parts:
- Competitive grants to eligible organizations
- Competitive grants to public school districts
- Direct appropriations from the Legislature
- A grant and loan program operated by Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft3.
ELF funding is open to nonprofits, public entities, K-12 schools and districts, tribes and for-profit businesses. The type of eligible applicant depends on the requirements of the current funding round being released as indicated below. Nonprofit and for-profit business applicants must be registered in the State of Washington. All applicants must be able to meet all applicable licensing and certification requirements under specific RCWs and WACs pertaining to the early learning and childcare services proposed in the facilities to which the funding will be applied.
Grants made by the ELF program are for reimbursement of capital projects only. Capital project expenses include acquiring, constructing or renovating early learning facilities. Eligible cost include acquisition, design, engineering, limited third-party construction management, construction and capitalized equipment. Projects must result in a licensed facility that increases early learning opportunities for children in the State of Washington, including those from households where the income is below the poverty threshold. Please refer to the current funding round program Guidelines for more information.
The Health and Safety Minor Renovations funding round is now closed. Award notifications were delivered by email on August 22 2024. The complete list of awards is located on this page under “Funding Round Awardees.”
The Early Learning Facilities team hosted debrief webinars in English, Spanish and Somali on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, presenting the most common reasons projects were not selected for funding:
The 2025-2027 Biennium Public School District Funding Round is now closed. Applications are currently under review. Applicants whose projects are recommended for funding to the legislature will be notified in October 2024 and official notifications of awards will be sent following the signing of the Capital Budget.
2025 – 2027 grant program information for early learning and childcare providers to be released in the spring of 2025.
2023 – 2025 Eligible Organizations ELF Funding One-Pager (PDF)
Commerce has selected three CDFI partners, Washington Community Reinvestment Association, Enterprise Community Partners, and Craft3 to run our loan program. See the WELL Fund Flyer for more information or go to the Washington Early Learning Loan Fund website.
Internal resources
- 2025-2027 State Funding – Public School Districts Program Guidelines (PDF)
- 2023-2025 State Funding – Health and Safety Minor Renovations Program Guidelines (PDF)
- 2023-2025 State Funding – Eligible Organizations Guidelines (PDF)
- 2021-2023 State Funding – Eligible Organizations Guidelines (PDF)
- 2023-2025 State Funding – K-12 School Districts Guidelines (PDF)
- 2021-2023 State Funding – Direct Appropriation Guidelines (PDF)
- 2021-2023 Federal Funding – Child Care Minor Renovation Guidelines (PDF)
- 2023-2025 Early Learning Facilities Awards
| Funding category | Anticipated application opening | Total appropriation | Number of projects awarded |
| Eligible Organizations | August 2023 | $42,050,000 | 49 |
| Health and Safety Minor Renovations | February 2024 | $7,056,000 | 64 |
| 2025-2027 Public School Districts | April 2024 | $-TBD | TBD |
- (English) The Imagine Institute is available to provide language assistance in the applicants preferred language. Please contact The Imagine Institute at 206-492-5249 or email CCSG@imaginewa.org
- (Spanish) El Imagine Institute está disponible para brindar asistencia lingüística en el idioma preferido de los solicitantes. Comuníquese con The Imagine Institute llamando al 206-492-5249 o envíe un correo electrónico a CCSG@imaginewa.org
- (Somali) Waxay Imagine Institute diyaar kuula tahay in ay bixiso caawimaad luuqadeed codsadayaasha arjiga luuqada ay doorbidayaan. Fadlan la Xariir Imagine Institute ee 206-492-5249 ama emayl CCSG@imaginewa.org
- Note: Official grant applications, contracting processes and reimbursement processes are all in English.
- For applicants who are unsure which funding round or category is the best suited for their project, we are providing Project Development slides for assistance in determining the appropriate path in their project development:
- English Project Development Slides (PDF)
- Spanish Project Development Slides (PDF)
- Somali Project Development Slides (PDF)
External resources
Department of Children, Youth, and Families
- Jody Hitchings
Pre-Licensing Unit Supervisor
jody.hitchings@dcyf.wa.gov
Phone: 360-271-4214 - Grace Ssebugwawo
Community Funded ECEAP/Early Learning Facilities Specialist
Grace.Ssebugwawo@dcyf.wa.gov
Phone: 360-701-7197 - DCYF Child Care / Early Learning Providers Technical Assistance
- DCYF Early Learning & Child Care Offices
Enterprise Community Partners
- Juanita Salinas-Aguila
Program Director Pacific Northwest
jsalinasaguila@enterprisecommunity.org
Phone: 206-223-4518 - ChildCare Aware Washington
Phone: 253-383-1735 - Listings for “Washington State Regional Coalitions for Early Learning”
- Washington Communities for Children
- USDA and HHS Joint Resource Guide – To strengthen and expand child care facilities in rural communities.
Local Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber of Commerce in many local areas may be able to provide assistance with the application, pre-contracting and reimbursement documents and processes. Contact the local Chamber of Commerce in your area for more information.
Small Business Resiliency Network
Partners of the Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) provide culturally and linguistically relevant assistance and other business support services at no cost to entrepreneurs, small businesses and non-profits – with an emphasis on those owned by historically marginalized and underserved persons – throughout Washington. For an interactive map in your area: Small Business Resiliency Network
Childcare Business Feasibility Estimator
Washington STEM is providing a tool to assist childcare providers investigate different business approaches. The Childcare Business Feasibility Estimator is designed to help potential childcare business owners understand the likely costs, revenues, and feasibility for their childcare business idea.
- RCW 43.31.565 through RCW 43.31.583
- Link to 2021-23 Program Legislation:
SHB 1080, Sections 1057 and 1083
ESHB 1370 - Link to 2019-21 Program Legislation:
SHB 1102, Section 1037 - Links to 2017-19 Program Legislation:
HB 1777
ESSB 6095, Section 1005