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Scholarships for Providers

Montana Early Care and Education Scholarship Program

This program was established by the Statewide Early Childhood Advisory Council with monies from the federal Child Care and Development Fund administered through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Early Childhood Services Bureau.

What Scholarships are Available?

Early care and education programs and/or practitioners may apply for five types of scholarships:

  1. Child Development Associate (CDA) Assessment: The CDA assessment fee is $325 and is payable at the time the candidate applies to the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C. for a Verification Visit. This is the last step before the CDA representative conducts the Verification Visit with the candidate. Apply for this scholarship at least 90 days before you send your application for assessment to the Council.

  2. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): The NAEYC accreditation process is designed for many types of early childhood programs – childcare centers, preschools, school-age programs and kindergartens. The National Academy of Early Childhood Programs in Washington, D.C. administers the program. Montana scholarships are available for the full validation fee, which is based on the number of children served in the program. The application fee (also based on numbers of children) must be paid by the program.  Contact the NAEYC at (800)-424-2460, as the specific charges vary by individual programs.

  3. National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) Accreditation: The NAFCC accreditation process is designed for family and group home childcare programs. The accreditation involves a self-study, parent surveys and an observer visit. The fee is $495 with membership in NAFCC. Full scholarships are available.

How Do I Request A Scholarship Application?

Application for all scholarships may be requested by calling the Early Childhood Project at (800) 213-6310 or (406) 944-4746. If you get our voice mail, leave your name, address and phone number. Please speak slowly so we can get accurate information in order to respond to your request.

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Licensing and registration does not guarantee a quality program. All parents are encouraged to visit programs prior to enrolling a child.
This project is funded (in part) under a contract with the MT Department of Health and Human Services. The statements herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Department.