Non-profit child care centers without a religious affiliation and located in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties are eligible to apply for a grant from the Terri Lynne Lokoff Child Care Foundation (TLLCCF). Each year, the foundation awards grants as part of its spring meeting. Grant funds have been used to honor and award excellent child care instructors, provide art and cultural programs to low-income areas and to improve access to affordable, high-quality child care options, according to the TLLCCF website.
The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is a federal grant program that distributes funds to states to improve child care options for low-income families, according to the Administration for Children and Families. While the focus of the program is to expand access to child care, federal guidelines stipulate that states must spend at least 4 percent of federal funds on activities to improve the quality of daycare, including expansion projects for after school care, according to the ACF. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare is the state agency responsible for administering the Child Care Development Fund, according to pa.gov.
If adding technology to your day care center is at the top of your list, the Allen Hilles Fund provides grants to tax-exempt organizations dedicated to improving or providing childhood education, women's issues and economic opportunities for low-income areas, according to hillesfund.org. Grants from the Allen Hilles Fund may be used for capital expenses including the purchase of computers, according to the website. Programs that receive priority consideration are those from organizations with an annual budget of less than $2 million or organizations that serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Application deadlines are twice a year.