Call for Applications: Child Care Grant Program (Canada)

Deadline: 14-Oct-2026

The City of Richmond Child Care Grant Program supports eligible non-profit and charitable organizations delivering licensed child care, quality programming, and professional development in Richmond, British Columbia. Funding is available through Capital and Professional and Program Development streams, subject to the availability of annual funding from the City’s Child Care Reserves.

About the Child Care Grant Program

The Child Care Grant Program supports the development, quality, and long-term sustainability of child care services in Richmond. The program funds improvements to licensed child care facilities as well as programming and professional development that benefit Richmond’s broader child care community. It is guided by the Richmond Child Care Strategy 2024–2034. Purpose of the Program The program aims to help families who live or work in Richmond access child care that is: - Affordable - Accessible - Inclusive - High-quality - Responsive to family needs - Supportive of children’s development - Conducive to learning and growth - Sustainable over the long term Funding also helps child care organizations strengthen facilities, programming, professional knowledge, and service quality. Richmond Child Care Strategy 2024–2034 The Richmond Child Care Strategy establishes the City’s long-term priorities for improving child care access, quality, and sustainability. The strategy recognizes that reliable child care supports: Applicants should explain how their proposed activity contributes to the strategy’s priorities. Five Child Care Priorities The Child Care Strategy identifies five principal priorities. Creating and Maintaining Child Care Spaces This priority focuses on increasing the number of available child care places and preserving existing licensed spaces.

Relevant activities may include:

- Improving existing child care facilities - Addressing health or safety needs - Upgrading equipment - Making spaces more functional - Maintaining service quality - Supporting long-term facility use - Reducing the risk of losing licensed spaces Applicants should explain how the proposed work will create, maintain, or improve child care capacity. Promoting Quality, Inclusivity, and Accessibility This priority supports services that are responsive to children and families with different needs and backgrounds.

Projects may address:

- Physical accessibility - Disability inclusion - Culturally responsive care - Inclusive equipment or materials - Quality programming - Developmentally appropriate environments - Language or communication barriers - Participation by underserved families - Trauma-informed practice - Equitable access Applications should identify existing barriers and explain how the proposal will reduce them. Advancing Advocacy Advocacy can help increase awareness of child care needs and promote improvements in policy, investment, and service delivery.

Eligible initiatives may support:

- Evidence-based advocacy - Research and data collection - Public information - Engagement with decision-makers - Awareness of child care needs - Participation by families or providers - Sector-wide policy discussions Applicants should distinguish charitable or educational advocacy from partisan political activity. Fostering Collaboration Collaboration helps child care providers, families, public agencies, and community organizations respond more effectively to local needs.

Projects may build partnerships among:

- Licensed child care providers - Non-profit organizations - Early childhood educators - Families - Community service organizations - Indigenous organizations - Disability and inclusion specialists - Health and social-service providers - Professional networks Applications should define each partner’s responsibilities and contribution. Enhancing Education and Information This priority supports stronger knowledge, training, and access to reliable information across Richmond’s child care sector.

Potential activities include:

- Professional development - Workshops and training - Resource development - Information sessions - Communities of practice - Sector networking - Family information resources - Sharing effective practices - Specialized educator training Funding Streams

The program provides two funding streams:

- Capital Grant - Professional and Program Development Grant Applicants should select the stream that best matches the purpose and costs of their proposed activity. Capital Grant The Capital Grant supports improvements to the quality of care within licensed child care facilities in Richmond.

Potential capital activities may include:

- Facility improvements - Accessibility modifications - Safety upgrades - Replacement or improvement of essential equipment - Enhancements to indoor learning environments - Improvements to outdoor play spaces - Fixtures supporting inclusive care - Other physical improvements directly connected to service quality All proposed costs should relate directly to a licensed child care facility and benefit children receiving care. Capital Grant Eligibility

Capital Grant applicants must:

- Be a non-profit society registered in British Columbia or a charitable organization registered in Canada - Deliver licensed child care in Richmond - Propose improvements to the quality of care - Demonstrate a clear need for the capital work - Have authority to complete work at the facility - Possess the organizational capacity to manage the project - Comply with applicable licensing and regulatory requirements Applicants operating from leased premises may need to provide the property owner’s authorization. Professional and Program Development Grant The Professional and Program Development Grant supports quality programming and professional learning opportunities benefiting Richmond’s child care community.

Potential activities may include:

- Early childhood educator training - Inclusive child care workshops - Program development - Curriculum or resource development - Co