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> Provider Services > Grants
and Scholarships
Child Care Resource and Referral is
committed to helping you as an early childhood professional to reach
your educational/professional goals.
Quality
Counts Grant Program
The Quality Counts Grant Program,
funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and administered
by the Child Care Resource and Referral system in Illinois, has been
created to improve and expand early care and education services in
Illinois. For fiscal year 2004-2005, $3.5 million was awarded across
the state, with $1.16 million targeted for programs serving infants
and toddlers.
All legally operating programs listed
on John A. Logan Child Care Data Base may apply. Programs who have
received a grant in the past are eligible to apply.
The Quality Counts Grant Program is offered annually in the Fall.
Contact: 800-232-0908
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Great
START Wage Supplement
You may already be eligible for a
Great START wage supplement! Great START (Strategy To Attract and
Retain Teachers) supports the professional preparation and stability
of the early childhood workforce through wage supplements awarded
every six months. Wage supplements are paid to eligible early care
and education professionals who have worked in the same licensed
child care program in Illinois for a minimum of one year and have
education above minimum DCFS licensing requirements for their
current position. The supplement scale includes levels and options
for Assistants, Family Child Care Providers, Teachers and Directors.
More information, including an application and the supplement scale
may be accessed through the INCCRRA website listed below.
Contact:
INCCRRA, 866-MYSTART; www.ilchildcare.org
or CCR&R 800-232-0908
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Professional
Development Funds
PDF funds are designed to support
your pursuit of professional development in the field of early care
and education. Funds may be used for many activities including,
college tuition for early childhood/child development related
classes, training/conferences, on-site consultations and
accreditation/credential related fees. Priority will be given to
programs with 25% or more of the enrollment consisting of publicly
funded children. All payments are made on a reimbursement basis.
Further instructions and an application can be downloaded from this
website.
PDF/Program Improvement Application Guidelines
PDF/Program
Improvement Application
Contact: CCR&R, 800-232-0908
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T.E.A.C.H.
Early Childhood Illinois Scholarship and Compensation Project
T.E.A.C.H. (Teacher Education and
Compensation Helps) can pay up to 80% of the cost of college tuition
and books for early childhood practitioners interested in receiving
a higher level of education. Practitioners may pursue coursework
leading to an Associate Degree or Bachelors Degree in the field of
early care and education or CDA, CCP or Illinois Director
Credential. This scholarship is different from the Professional
Development Funds available at our local CCR&R I that it:
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Will pay for tuition including general education classes as well
as child development coursework
- Provides a travel stipend
- Will help pay for a substitute
enabling recipients to receive release time to attend class or
study
- Will provide a compensation
increase after yearly completion of contract hours.
Some eligibility factors include
working in a full-year licensed program in Illinois for a minimum of
one year, be employed at least 15 hours per week and earn no more
than $15 per hour. More information and an application can be
accessed through the INCCRRA website listed below.
Contact: INCCRRA, 800-863-0499; www.ilchildcare.org
or CCR&R,
800-232-0908
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Support
for Accreditation
Child Care Resource and Referral can
help support your program accreditation through three funding
streams: Training Funds, Professional Development Funds and/or
Accreditation Funds. To determine which funding stream is to be used
to support accreditation activities, the following criteria are
considered: the actual use of funds, a program’s readiness for
accreditation based on the results of a readiness assessment,
previous funds awarded to the program and the actual cost of the
activity/request.
Contact: CCR&R, 800-232-0908 for
more information regarding accreditation support.
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Statewide
Accreditation Mentoring (SAM)
The
SAM Project, sponsored by the Illinois Association for the Education
of Young Children (ILAEYC) and funded by the Department of Human
Services, will support programs seeking accreditation.
SAM is designed to provide on-site,
technical assistance for programs and provide assistance with
accreditation application and validation fees.
Contact:
SAM Project Coordinator, 815-626-8872; www.illinoisaeyc.org
or CCR&R, 800-232-0908
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