Small Capital Grants for Non-Profit Programs

The Early Education and Out of School Time Capital Fund Small Grant (EEOST Small Grant) Program is administered by MassDevelopment and is designed to support capital improvements in child care facilities serving predominantly low-income families. The program aligns with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 180 and specifically targets tax-exempt nonprofit organizations or entities controlled by such nonprofits. The FY26 cycle of the EEOST Small Grant Program offers funding ranging from $200,000 to $499,999 for facility enhancements that promote safe, high-quality early education and out-of-school time environments. The primary objective of the program is to develop or improve child care facilities where at least 50% of the enrolled children come from families eligible for public subsidy. These subsidies may include financial assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), Head Start slots, or other publicly funded childcare support mechanisms. In cases where the applicant is proposing a new site, the eligibility criteria require that 50% of the applicant organization's current total licensed enrollment consists of children from low-income families. Upon completion of the project, the new site must maintain the 50% threshold for subsidized enrollment. Eligible projects may involve capital rehabilitation work such as reconfiguration of classrooms, administrative or staff spaces, outdoor redesigns, and major systems replacements. All categories outlined in the program guidelines are eligible for funding consideration. The program also provides the potential for waivers to certain regulatory requirements for projects that clearly demonstrate improvements to health and safety for both children and staff. These waivers could affect grant terms, lien requirements, and land use restrictions as defined under specific sections of Massachusetts regulations (606 CMR 15.04(2)(e) and (f)). Applications for the FY26 EEOST Small Grant must be submitted online no later than 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 13, 2026. The application process is entirely digital, and physical or emailed submissions will not be accepted. Applicants can save their progress and return to complete the application at a later time by using the “Save” feature, which generates a link for future access. This must be done each time a user exits the platform prior to submission. Information sessions have been scheduled to assist prospective applicants. These virtual sessions will be held on January 14 at 11:00 a.m. and January 16 at 2:00 p.m. The sessions will provide a walk-through of the guidelines, program materials, and offer a chance for Q&A. Interested applicants are encouraged to register through MassDevelopment. For additional questions, the point of contact for this grant opportunity is Richard Griffin Jr., Vice President at MassDevelopment. He can be reached via email at rgriffin@massdevelopment.com. Further details and guidelines for the EEOST Small Grant Program can be accessed on MassDevelopment’s official website.