The Early Years Initiative is a competitive grant opportunity, made possible with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., for organizations to help infants and toddlers develop foundational knowledge and skills that support their future learning and development. Eligible organizations throughout Indiana are invited to propose new, enhanced or expanded programs and projects that influence healthy brain development and the development of physical, social-emotional and cognitive skills in infants and toddlers (children from birth through age three).  

Brains are developed over time. Neural pathways developed in the earliest years of life form the basis for connections in the brain that process more complex information as a child learns and grows. A supportive environment and responsive, predictable interactions between very young children and their caregivers reinforce the foundation of a child’s overall development and lifelong learning trajectory. These interactions enable young children to develop skills that are critical to school readiness such as curiosity about the world around them, the ability to persist through a challenge, resilience in the face of adversity and the confidence to explore. Without supportive interactions and environments during this critical phase of growth, the brain does not optimally develop, which can lead to disparities in long-term learning, behavioral competency and health outcomes. 

To be eligible for funding under the Early Years Initiative, an applicant must meet the following criteria:  

• It must be a public charity described in Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3). Organizations may apply independently or in collaboration, but the lead applicant must meet this requirement. 
• It must carry out the grant for a charitable purpose aligned with the priorities of the Early Years Initiative as described above.
• It must be currently serving, or proposing to serve, infants and toddlers, directly or indirectly (e.g. by offering parenting supports).  A lead applicant may provide these services through a partner as long as all eligibility criteria are met.  An applicant need not serve this age group exclusively, but the focus of its proposal must prioritize this population. Applicants may also include community foundations, United Ways and other such organizations that have the stature and capacity to lead, coordinate or otherwise support programs and projects for infants and toddlers. 
• It must have an annual operating budget of at least $75,000 and have been in operation for at least 12 months on the date of submission.  Organizations that are unable to meet this threshold are encouraged to collaborate with eligible lead applicants to submit a proposal under this Initiative.  

Organizations that have questions about their eligibility for participation in the Early Years Initiative may contact ELI staff at earlyyears@earlylearningindiana.org. 

Yes.  For purposes of this initiative, public charities described in Internal Revenue Code (Code) section 501(c)(3) will be deemed to include institutions that are treated as such under the Code and Treasury Regulations.  Public schools and public higher education institutions — while typically not receiving formal designations from the Internal Revenue Service as public charities described in Code section 501(c)(3) — are treated the same as designated 501(c)(3) public charities for many legal and tax purposes and therefore are eligible to apply under this initiative. 

Any organization that meets all eligibility criteria, including a licensed family child care home, may serve as a lead applicant. Family child care homes that are unable to meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to collaborate with eligible lead applicants to submit a proposal. For example, as noted in the Request for Proposals, family child care homes serving infants and toddlers in a low child care capacity area might partner with a community foundation or United Way to create a network for services. Please note that this is intended only to serve as an example. Any program or project that addresses the priorities of the Early Years Initiative will be considered.

Yes, current grantees of ELI are eligible to submit for the Early Years Initiative. 

No. Organizations must be currently serving, or proposing to serve, infants and toddlers in Indiana and meet all other eligibility requirements.

All proposals must serve children from birth through age three in Indiana.  There are no other geographic limits on the proposals that may be submitted.  Please note, an applicant may submit only one proposal through the Early Years Initiative. However, it may request funding for multiple programs or projects in one proposal. 

Early Years Initiative proposals must be designed to strengthen foundational learning and development, but can be as varied as the needs of the young children they are designed to serve. Proposed programs or projects may include, among others: 

• Strengthening families through home visiting and parent education programs 
• Ensuring access to supportive child care 
• Supporting early detection of developmental needs or disabilities and implementation of responsive interventions 
• Promoting essential skills through early language strategies 

ELI expects to receive a wide range of proposed programs and projects as part of the Early Years Initiative. Each local community and population has unique assets and needs. Some examples of fundable programs and projects might include, but are not limited to: a community foundation or United Way might facilitate the creation of a network of family child care homes serving infants and toddlers in a low child care capacity area; a faith-based institution might sponsor a program designed to expand parental knowledge of early childhood development and positive parenting practices; an existing home visiting provider might expand services to new geographies; a child care provider might invest in a program to improve language development in its classrooms through tools and practice-based professional development; or a local community-based organization might help deploy early detection tools through its network of community partners.

These potential programs or projects are intended only to serve as examples and are not an exhaustive list of programs or projects. Any program or project that addresses the priorities of the Early Years Initiative will be considered. 

A proposed program or project must serve children between birth and age three, but does not need to serve the entire age range of birth through age three.

The Early Years Initiative serves infants and toddlers (children from birth through age three) in Indiana. The Early Years Initiative has a particular focus on infants and toddlers who are in low-income households, are members of communities of color or are multi-language learners (the “Focus Populations”). Early Years Initiative proposals may serve other populations, but ELI will view more favorably proposals from applicants that serve a significant number of children within the Focus Populations. 

For purposes of this Initiative, a household will be considered low-income if it earns less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

To assist organizations in considering possible approaches to a proposal, ELI has identified a diverse range of providers and advisors that serve the interests of infants and toddlers, including those listed here. 

Yes, applicants may propose a program or project not identified by ELI under the Early Years Initiative. The identified models are simply designed to assist organizations considering possible approaches to a proposal. Success of a proposal is not dependent upon the use of an identified model.

Organizations may request grants for a period of up to three years. Grant amounts requested must be appropriate for the intended impact, which would include, among other things:   

• The number of infants and toddlers to be served with possible grant support and the anticipated impact of the program or project to be provided to these children.    
• The number of infants and toddlers in the Focus Populations (as defined in the Request for Proposals) and the anticipated impact of the program or project to be provided to these children.   
• The outcomes of current programs, if any, and the projected outcomes of the expanded program(s).    

ELI expects grant amounts to range from $75,000 to $500,000. 

Grant awards will be distributed to grantees in one payment, upon execution of the grant agreement.

The “Funding Considerations” section of the Request for Proposals outlines the factors that will be considered in reviewing proposals and determining funding recommendations.  

For general questions about the Early Years Initiative, please email earlyyears@earlylearningindiana.org. For questions about specific model programs, please reach out directly to the model program. Learn more here. 

No, the Early Years Initiative is a competitive grant opportunity offered by Early Learning Indiana, with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., for organizations to help infants and toddlers develop foundational knowledge and skills that support their future learning and development.  Proposed programs or projects may include ensuring access to supportive child care, among other priorities outlined in the Request for Proposals.  The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning’s Child Care Expansion Grants are state- and federally-funded competitive grants specifically intended to increase quality child care access for vulnerable families, especially with underserved areas and priority age groups such as infants and toddlers.  To learn more about the Child Care Expansion Grants, please visit https://brighterfuturesindiana.org/child-care-expansion-grants.

Yes.  ELI strongly encourages applicants to seek funding through the Early Years Initiative that will be complementary to new or existing public or other private sources, including the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning’s Child Care Expansion Grant program, to extend the impact of their efforts.