Release:

DECAL Announces Grant Opportunities for Georgia Communities

Funding will allow organizations to pilot and implement family-focused programs that promote economic security, support trauma-responsive care, and respond to local needs

ATLANTA, Ga., (February 1, 2021) – The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) announces three separate Community Impact Grant opportunities for community-based organizations across Georgia.

The grants will be awarded by DECAL to local communities that propose projects that best help to ensure that families of Georgia’s children from birth to age 5 have access to high-quality early childhood care and education, as well as other services and programs. Funding for the grants was made possible by the $11.2 million Preschool Development Renewal Grant that Georgia received in January 2020 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Education.

“We look forward to utilizing this federal funding to supplement our ongoing efforts to increase access to high-quality care of all types for Georgia’s youngest learners and their families,” said DECAL Commissioner Amy M. Jacobs. “Through these grants, we will support communities in developing holistic strategies to improve family well-being in their areas.”

Within the DECAL Community Impact Grants, there are three opportunities for communities to apply for and receive significant funding to support tailored strategies:

• The 2Gen Innovation Grant, focused on building whole-family pathways to economic prosperity by aligning workforce training and postsecondary education opportunities with child care and other family supports
• The Trauma-Responsive Care Grant, focused on increasing community-wide awareness of trauma and creating a collective understanding of how early childhood trauma can impact future learning and development
• The Community Transformation Grant, focused on developing community projects that promise to improve access to services and supports that meet the unique needs of children and families in under-resourced and rural communities.

Individual award amounts are expected to range between $10,000 and $75,000, depending on the type of grant.

“These grants are a welcome addition to the collection of supports DECAL provides for children and families across the state,” said Bentley Ponder, DECAL’s Deputy Commissioner for Quality Innovations and Partnerships. “We are pleased to provide an opportunity to create resources targeting the educational, financial, and emotional needs of underserved communities and populations.”

Individual grant information and applications will be posted on the DECAL website at http://www.decal.ga.gov/QualityInitiatives/Grants.aspx by noon, Wednesday, February 3, 2021. DECAL will also host an informational webinar at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 5, 2021. Interested parties can register for the webinar at
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ldHEumXFQ22TS7fgWJ80Pg. Questions related to these applications should be directed to communityimpactgrants@decal.ga.gov.

About DECAL

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia’s children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia’s Pre-K Program; licenses child care centers and home-based child care; administers Georgia’s Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program and federal nutrition programs; and manages Quality Rated, Georgia’s community-powered child care rating system.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education. For more information, go to www.decal.ga.gov.