Early education in New Orleans is getting another boost with new grants to help expand facilities or establish new ones as the city works to accommodate thousands of children in need.
The New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Agenda for Children announced this week that applications are now being accepted for the Early Childhood Education Facilities Grant Program, which has over $3 million available to eligible providers.
The program aims to expand the amount of classroom seats available for newly eligible children since the passage of a property tax millage in 2022. The New Orleans City Seats program funds 1,000 seats for low-income families each year and is expected to generate $21 million annually, with $3.1 million of that going to the grant program.
“The Early Childhood Education Facilities Grant Program is a game-changer for our community,” said Jen Roberts, CEO of Agenda for Children. “Greater access to quality early education centers spells brighter futures for our children and well-deserved peace of mind for our working families to grow and thrive.
The grant program is part of citywide efforts to increase access to early childhood education from birth to 4 years old — a critical need that advocates say better prepares kids for kindergarten and sets them up for success later in school.
According to research by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children — a nonprofit thinktank focused on children’s issues statewide — expanded access also leads to a stronger economy when parents are free to work or attend school.
According to Agenda for Children, who facilitates the the City Seats program, more than 2,000 seats have been filled for the 2024-25 school year, bringing the program to capacity. In July, over 700 children were on the waitlist.
Layers of red tape
Many providers say they want to expand, upgrade or establish another location, but a lack of funding and layers of red tape from city zoning rules often prevents them from doing so.
To remove some of the barriers facing new and established early learning providers, the City Council enacted a number of zoning changes that will allow more centers where they were previously prohibited.
The changes are aimed at easing the permitting process like removing certain lot-size and parking requirements.
“The ECE Facilities Grant Program is a crucial investment in the future of our children and our communities,” said Brenda Breaux, executive director of NORA.
“By expanding access to high-quality early childhood education and building more facilities, we are not only providing essential opportunities for our youngest residents but also supporting the long-term economic and social vitality of our neighborhoods.”
NORA is managing the grant application process and the application is on their website. The application window closes Oct. 4, 2024.
Facilities are eligible if they are licensed and authorized to accept state and federal funding for families who need financial assistance. Applications can be found at https://noraworks.org/programs/commercial/ece-facilities.