Apply Now for One-Time Child Care Grant

To Maine Child Care Programs,

A one-time child care grant will be distributed in December to child care programs in Maine that apply this month. Child care programs will be eligible to receive the grant paid at $25 per slot based on licensed capacity. This opportunity is funded by Maine’s federal Preschool Development Grant (PDG) that has been supporting birth to school age early care and education system improvements for the past three years. See the attached memo for more information.

Child care owners and directors will need to log on to the Early Childhood Salary Supplement registration portal beginning November 18, 2025, and specifically apply for the grant to receive the funds. Programs must apply by November 30, 2025. The portal will stay open until November 30th or until grant funds run out. Grant funds will be distributed by 12/15/2025 and must be spent by 12/30/2025.

The registration portal can be found here: https://apps.web.maine.gov/online/childcare_grants/provider/login

Please remember, if you have NOT updated staff in the Early Childhood Salary Supplement portal since August 2025, it is now required to enter the MRTQ member ID for ALL educators.  Please be prepared prior to logging on to the portal by having each MRTQ member ID for reference.  Programs can access the MRTQ member IDs by utilizing the Director of Record Access (DoRA). When applying for the grant, you do not have to submit the staff section, if there are NO changes in staffing.

For questions or more information, please contact ECEWageProgram.DHHS@Maine.gov.

• 11.18.25 PDG Child Care Grant Memo.pdf