News from the Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund

REMINDER – Deadline for Wave 4 Early Learning Facility Grants is Friday
Applications for the 5th and Final Wave of Early Learning Facility Grants will be accepted from October 5 – October 26, 2015.

Wave 5 of Early Learning Facility Grants will be open starting on October 5th. Applications are due no later than midnight on October 26, 2015. Applications in all priority categories will be accepted during Wave 5. 

New Tool to Assess Your Early Learning Facility is now available for Download!

We are thrilled to announce the release of our newly developed Early Learning Facility Self-Assessment Tool. This instrument will guide you in assessing the overall condition and suitability of your physical space. It will also help you to set priorities to develop an improvement plan. The Tool is available for download as a printable PDF or as a Smart PDF that can be filled out right on your computer, iPad or Tablet. Download the tool HERE . This fall we will begin offering a series of trainings to support center administrators in using the tool and developing improvement plans – stay tuned!

CENTER SPOTLIGHT! Jamestown Early Learning Center

With the implementation of the 2013 DCYF child care licensing regulations and the subsequent re-measurement of centers, the Jamestown ELC would have needed to drop enrollment by 30 children in order to be in compliance with their newly issued license number. 

Deferred Maintenance
Costs you Down the Road!

In our first rounds of Early Learning Facility Grant funding, we saw many requests for projects that fell into the category of “deferred maintenance”. These included issues such as roofs that needed repair or replacement, poorly functioning heating systems, damaged flooring, windows needing replacement, etc. When funding is limited, the list of postponed repairs and maintenance can become very long - very fast. Projects that are put on hold, repair that is neglected, and preventive maintenance that is ignored adds up to a costly and complex problem.

Visit our Forum for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions and to Join in the Discussion! 

There are several newly added questions, all focused on playground inspections. Take time to visit the forum and review them today!

About RICCELFF

The Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund (RICCELFF) is an innovative public-private partnership dedicated to expanding access to quality child care and early education opportunities throughout Rhode Island. The RICCELFF provides the capital and technical expertise that child care and early learning centers need to improve the quality and capacity of their physical space. The RICCELFF provides a combination of training, technical assistance, grant funding and flexible, affordable financing for a wide range of indoor and outdoor projects including minor renovations or construction of new, state-of-the art facilities and playground spaces. Click here to learn more about what the RICCELFF can offer your program. 

LISC Rhode Island Child Care & Early Learning Facilities Fund  |  146 Clifford Street
Providence, RI 02903
riccelff@lisc.org | riccelff.org