Financial Aid Opportunities for Early Childhood Educators

Below are various financial aid opportunities available to early childhood educators. All text in the organization column is hyperlinked to the relevant websites. Educators can also find career navigation support here.

This table lists financial aid opportunities available to early childhood educators.
Organization	Description	Dates	Contact	Notes
T.E.A.C.H. EC Colorado Scholarship Program	The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Colorado Scholarship Program offers early childhood professionals a pathway to pursue higher education. Access to scholarships for early childhood education is a critical piece to a successful professional development pathway.	The last day to apply for the fall semester with T.E.A.C.H. is Friday, October 7th, 2022. The application will remain open, however all applications will be considered for Spring 2023.	Shannon Hall, Director of Workforce Supports 720-899-3047 shannon@ecclacolorado.org OR Dallas Brown, ECE Scholarship/Career Navigator 720-588-2842 dallas@ecclacolorado.org	Eligibility Requirements on website. For Providers and Administrators: Models for Early Childhood professionals employed in a licensed early care and learning setting. This includes early childhood teachers, family child care home providers, and early childhood program administrators.
T.E.A.C.H. EC Colorado Scholarship Program	The T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Colorado Scholarship Program offers early childhood professionals a pathway to pursue higher education. Access to scholarships for early childhood education is a critical piece to a successful professional development pathway.	The last day to apply for the fall semester with T.E.A.C.H. is Friday, October 7th, 2022. The application will remain open, however all applications will be considered for Spring 2023.	Shannon Hall, Director of Workforce Supports 720-899-3047 shannon@ecclacolorado.org OR Dallas Brown, ECE Scholarship/Career Navigator 720-588-2842 dallas@ecclacolorado.org	Eligibility Requirements on website. For Early Childhood Community Specialists: Models for Early Childhood Professionals employed in the early childhood field but not consistently in a licensed setting. This includes coaches, substitute early childhood teachers, Early Childhood Council staff, home visitors, and more. Unlike other models, the Early Childhood Community Specialist Model does not require participation from an employer or sponsor.
ECE Educator Stipends - Currently ECE 101/103 for new teachers	The ECE Educator Stipends program is geared for individuals who are not already qualified to teach in ECE programs in the state of Colorado. If you are already a lead teacher, please contact the ECE department at the college/university you are interested in attending and ask for guidance on the best classes to take to achieve your ECE professional goals. There may be scholarship funds available through the school for students who have declared ECE certificate or degree paths.	Open until funds exhausted	Questions related to the status of these funds for individual student accounts should be directed to the institution’s office of financial aid. CDHE: ECEEducatorFunding@dhe.state.co.us	Fact Sheet on website
Back to Work: EC Education Scholarship Program	Have you been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you thinking of starting or continuing college in an undergraduate Early Childhood degree/certificate program in Colorado? Participants will receive a one-time scholarship award, up to $2,500! Funds can be spread across your entire degree or certificate, so you can save them for when you need them. Funds can also be used to cover a variety of expenses.	Open, participants must meet the criteria and complete a credential/degree by June 2024	Early Childhood Council Leadership Alliance 7205882840 info@ecclacolorado.org	More detailed info (a lot of requirements) and Fact Sheet on website
Child Development Associate Credential Program (CDA) Scholarship through RRCC	For new CDA candidates, if awarded, you will receive funding for CDA training costs (up to $600) and the CDA assessment fee ($425). For renewal CDA candidates, if awarded, the scholarship can pay for the renewal assessment fee ($125). All scholarship recipients will receive coaching support.	Re-Open January 2023	If you have any questions, please call 303-914-6584 or email julia.brink@rrcc.edu	No prior work experience is required, however, you must have a high school diploma, GED, or be enrolled as a junior or senior in high school career and technical program in early childhood education to qualify for a scholarship.
Rural R.U.N. Scholarship Program	The Rural Reskilling, Upskilling, Next-skilling (R.U.N.) Scholarship Program provides career counseling and tuition support to early childhood professionals in rural communities seeking to reskill, upskill, or next-skill. Participants will receive a one-time scholarship award applicable towards the cost of their credential. The amount a participant receives is dependent on the credential they wish to pursue. Additionally, participants are offered the following supports: Career counseling and support 1:1 support to ensure progression toward the completion of your credential Support in connecting to resources, careers, and transitioning back into the workforce Navigation into the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Colorado Scholarship Program and/or the Back to Work: Early Childhood Education Scholarship Program (where applicable)	Application open until September 1, 2023	Cameron Fall, Scholarship and Career Navigation Coordinator at (720) 899-3048	Great detailed information, including areas covered by the Rural Workforce Consortium, and Information Sheet on website. Participant must have experienced an economic loss within the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lost or adverse changes in employment, increased food or housing insecurity, had to withdraw from college after March 13, 2020, or suffered another form of economic loss OR participant currently qualifies for federal assistance programs.
Colorado Career and Technical Education Tuition Assistance Program (CTE Grant)	Students may be eligible for a small amount of funding to help them earn their certificate. This specialized CTE Grant may cover tuition only (fees and other expenses cannot be included) for up to $2250 per certificate program. This can result in substantial savings and can be used to complete a short-term 6 credit entry certificate.		Please contact the Financial Aid Office at your Community College to see if you qualify.	Blurb found on PDIS scholarship page.
High School Concurrent Enrollment Scholarship	The Concurrent Enrollment Scholarship Program is for high school students interested in earning college credits and experience in Early Childhood Education. It is intended to help students transition successfully into the field with the support, knowledge, and credentials needed to obtain employment and perform their roles with confidence.	The Fall 2022 application is currently open to students already enrolled in a Concurrent Enrollment program. If you are not currently enrolled, are interested in enrolling, or will be continuing in your current program, please apply for Spring 2023	Enola Garland enola@ecclacolorado.org	Twenty high school students will be chosen across the state to participate in each cohort. This program includes regular meetings and support from cohort peers and Concurrent Enrollment Scholarship counselors.
Finish What You Started - CDHE	Do you have some college, but did not graduate or obtain your credential? Are you thinking of re-enrolling to finish your degree? Join the Finish What You Started program designed to provide you with support services to obtain college credentials or degrees. The program combines financial support with additional services such as career planning and student coaching, connection to community and public resources, and career connections.			Participants must meet the following criteria: Must plan to enroll or be enrolling at a Colorado public college or university Must be pursuing your first higher education certificate or degree (previous degree holders are ineligible) Undergraduate, in-state students who fit one of the following two categories: 1. Have "Some College, No Degree": Defined as students who earned some postsecondary credits from a Colorado public/private higher education institution but did not complete a certificate or degree before deciding not to enroll for two or more consecutive semesters. 2. Are "First-time Students": Defined as students who were admitted to a Colorado public institution of higher education as a first-time student for the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 academic year but did not enroll at any institution for the 2020-2021 academic year.
American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE)	Critical Need Teacher Scholarship and Teacher of Color Scholarship	Currently close - check back for udpates on 2023 applications		Only students from a college or university holding institutional membership in AAEE are eligible to participate.
WomenGive	WomenGive provides support and financial assistance through child care scholarships to single mothers pursuing postsecondary education. WomenGive helps families achieve self-sufficiency allowing them to focus on their studies, knowing their children are receiving high-quality care in a safe environment. Scholarships are available three times a year to new and returning applicants during fall, spring, and summer semesters. The scholarships are paid directly to the provider and cover the cost of direct care services per child during the time the student (mother) is enrolled in classes.	Dates vary by Semester, Fall 2022 closed	WOMENGIVE@UWAYLC.ORG	Larimer County specific; eligibility requirements are on website.
ECE Educator Scholarships - CDHE	The ECE Educator Scholarships are for ECE students to pursue dedicated coursework, certificates & degrees up to a master's. CDHE allocates funds to participating schools. The ECE department at each school will decide which of their students will receive scholarship funding using the CDHE program guidance to prioritize students. These scholarships are not need-based.	Deadline for spending this allocation of funds has passed (June 30, 2022)	Contact your school's Early Childhood Education Department with questions.	As part of the ECE Scholarship program, all participating IHE’s are collecting the PDIS usernames of all students who are awarded scholarship funds.
UCD	Early Childhood PhD Programs at CU Denver Offer New Competitive Fellowships and Graduate Research Assistantships // Multiple competitive fellowships and graduate research assistantships are available for incoming students with backgrounds and research interests in: Supporting development and learning of bilingual Latinx children in early childhood classrooms Home school partnerships in families from minoritized populations Culturally responsive practices for young children with disabilities Preparing and retaining a diverse early childhood workforce Policies for expanding access to mixed delivery pre-kindergarten programs Bridging ECE and Pre-k to third grade systems	applications accepted through January 1, 2023 for PhD concentrations in Inclusive EC Education and in EC Policy	All applicants are encouraged to contact a faculty mentor about the program and funding opportunities before applying. Dr. Elizabeth Steed \| elizabeth.steed@ucdenver.edu Inclusive ECE PhD concentration: full tuition for four years plus a monthly stipend for students studying culturally responsive practices for young children with disabilities Dr. Cristina Gillanders \| cristina.gillanders@ucdenver.edu Inclusive ECE PhD concentration: graduate research assistantships available for students researching learning and development in bilingual children and home school partnerships, especially those in Latinx communities Dr. Diana Schaack \| diana.schaack@ucdenver.edu Early Childhood Policy PhD concentration or Inclusive ECE PhD concentration: graduate research assistantships available for students interested in preschool policy or teacher preparation Dr. Kristie Kauerz \| kristie.kauerz@ucdenver.edu Early Childhood Policy PhD concentration: graduate research assistantships available for students interested in birth (preschool) to third grade organizational and system level reform in states, districts, and communities