Facility Planning Grants
A competitive pool of Preschool Development Grant (PDG) Facility Planning grant funding is available for predevelopment and feasibility activities to develop, expand or improve early childhood facilities. Grant-funded planning work could include hiring professionals for the following:

  • Architectural design services for project feasibility and concept design;
  • Site analysis;
  • Engineering studies;
  • Legal services (ex: hiring a land use attorney to pursue a change in zoning for allowable use); and
  • Environmental survey and review.

Eligible applicants for the PDG facilities planning grants include:

  • Both non-profit or for-profit organizations with active SAM.gov registrations
  • Child care providers with a commitment to provide early childhood care and education to low‐income families with a public subsidy
  • Real estate developers with commitment to offering a favorable, long term lease or a lease to own scenario and is partnered with or is committed to partnering with an eligible child care provider.

Eligible applicants must have the ability to comply with requirements of a federally funded facility project (including written procurement policy, maintenance of financial reports to show and account for the uses of grant funds, provision of audited financials or acceptable alternative, etc.). You can read about the program, preview the application, and apply by clicking the button below. You can also contact us at riccelff@lisc.org or 401-331-0131.
Public Comment Period for the Proposed Rules and Regulations to Govern the ECCE Capital Fund
The proposed set of rules and regulations that will govern the $15 million voter approved Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Capital fund is nearing the end of its 30-day public comment period. If you would like to review and provide comment on these proposed rules, don't miss your chance!

All interested parties are invited to request additional information or submit written or oral comments concerning the proposed adoption until May 13, 2022 by contacting:

Tara Borges
Chief of Policy Development
Department of Human Services
Louis Pasteur Building, 3rd floor
25 Howard Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
The primary purpose of the ECCE Capital Fund program is to increase the State's supply of quality early learning facilities by providing resources to fund:

1. The improvement of existing early learning facilities;
2. The expansion of existing early learning facilities;
3. The development of new early learning facilities; and
4. The provision of technical assistance to Early Childhood Care and Education providers in matters related to early learning facility planning.
Save the Date:
Wednesday, June 15th at 11am
ECCE Capital Fund Overview and Information Session

Once the rules and regulations that will govern the Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) Capital Fund program complete the State of RI’s Office of Regulatory Reform (ORR)’s review process, LISC and DHS will be providing an Overview and Information Session for all potential applicants.

The info session will include the following topics as well as an opportunity for participants to ask questions:

  • Overview & Background of the program
  • Capital Fund Grant Uses
  • Eligibility Requirements
  • Program Priorities
  • Application Process
  • Decision-Making Process
  • Capital Fund Grant Timeline
  • Reporting Requirements
  • Resources

The session will be recorded and posted along with the PowerPoint presentation on the www.riccelff.org website shortly after the live presentation. Spanish interpretation and translated documents will also be available.

We hope you join us! Click the button below to register.
If you are a child care provider, a developer, or a community-based organization with a child care facilities project in mind- please let us know! LISC staff and/or consultants can offer technical assistance to help you plan at any stage in the process.

You can complete a TA request form here or contact us at riccelff@lisc.org or 401-331-0131. And if you are contemplating submitting a proposal for an ECCE Capital Fund grant this summer, don't forget you can review the proposed rules & regulations and submit a comment on the RI Secretary of State's website until this Friday, 5/13!
In Case You Missed it:
DUNS Number Transition
The Government has officially transitioned away from using the Data Universal Numbering System (or DUNS number) to using a SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). This new UEI is a 12-digit alphanumeric code assigned to entities through the SAM.gov system.

If you are not already familiar with The System for Award Management, or SAM, it is an official website of the U.S. Government and there is no cost to use it. If your entity is already registered in SAM.gov, you have been assigned a UEI and it is already visible in your entity registration record. If you are not registered in SAM.gov, we recommend you utilize the following resources to help you through the transition from DUNS Number to Unique Entity ID. Please note, you can get a UEI for your business entity without having to complete a full SAM.gov entity registration.
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.
Building Solutions for Rhode Island’s Children