Enhancement Grants are to assist child care facilities to continually improve the quality of services they offer the children and families in their programs. “The Enhancement Grants” for 2010 will offer awards focusing on two program practices and accreditation. Interested participants can apply for only one of the available grants.
Feeding & Nutrition for Young Children Grant
Feeding & Nutrition for Young Children is more than ‘just snacks and a lunch’. Early experiences with food and eating have implications for the development of eating disorders and future health issues. The goal of this grant will be for child care providers to gain information and to intentionally address the challenges of feeding young children in their specific setting for positive outcomes. If you care for children over the age of 2 ½, you have the opportunity to participate. Participants may have the opportunity to take a distance-based Feeding Young Children Class through Community Education at the University of Idaho, complete a nationally recognized self-assessment, and create goals to improve the quality of mealtimes in your classroom or program.
Additional Resources
Feeding Young Children in Group Settings
Building Mealtime Environments and Relationships
Healthy Child Care-Health & Safety Ideas For The Young Child
Outdoor Learning Environments Grant
Outdoor Learning Environments are more than ‘just a playground’. Research on children's preferences shows that if children had the design skills to do so, their creations would be completely different from the areas called playgrounds that most adults design for them. If children could design their outdoor play spaces, they would be rich developmentally appropriate learning environments where children would want to stay all day. That is the goal of this Enhancement Grant – create a truly Outdoor Learning Environment for children.
Application Resources
Use the links below as resources for completing your application.
Model Child Care Health Policies: Appendix Q - Health and Safety Checklist (page 57)
Progressive Design Playgrounds: Outdoor Learning Environments
White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group: Children's Outdoor Play & Learning Environments: Returning to Nature
National Clearinghouse For Educational Facilities: Outdoor Learning Environments
Sequential Outdoor Learning (SOL) Environment: What is a SOL Environment?
Earth Artist: Create an Outdoor Learning Environment
ICT in the Early Years: ICT and The Outdoor Learning Environment
Accreditation Grant
The Accreditation Grant will help with meeting accreditation standards for programs in the process of NAFCC or NAEYC accreditation process. Accredited early childhood programs have been assessed by nationally recognized credentialing organizations and have proven their level of quality in many ways.
Eligibility
Center directors and/or family home child care owners are eligible to apply. For the Feeding and Nutrition option the facility must care for children 2 ½ or older. Directors/owners must be enrolled in the PDS Registry prior to March 1, 2010.
Reminder: IdahoSTARS Registry applications take approximately 3 weeks to process.
How to Apply
Complete the application and provide all required information. Incomplete applications will be eliminated.
2010 Program Enhancement Grant Application Form
Submit applications from February 1, 2010 - March 19, 2010 at 5:00 P.M. (MST).
All applicants will be notified by March 31, 2010 of the status of their application. If your facility is selected, IdahoSTARS staff will contact you to schedule a short phone orientation about the upcoming grant.
For further information, call the 2-1-1 Idaho CareLine by dialing 2-1-1 or 1-800-926-2588 and ask to be connected to your local CCR&R office.