Grant Opportunities

The grant will be released on January 14, 2026, and will close on February 13, 2026. Applications will be reviewed for mandatory requirements before evaluations begin. Once evaluations are complete, the applications will be scored and designated for award. Once awards are approved by the state, grantees will be notified of their award status. This timeline can take anywhere from two (2)-four (4) months depending on the quantity and quality of applications. Following award, grantees will work with the state to sign their grant agreements for contract routing and the grant term will begin on July 1, 2026.

1. Visit the Indiana State Budget Agency website and navigate to the “Grants Management” page.
2. Then click “Resources for Subrecipients” and select the tab titled “Grant Opportunities”.
3. Please scroll until you find the opportunity titled School Age Child Care Grant - SFY 2027.
4. Click through the tabs, and review the SACC Policies and Procedures manual linked here or in the “Files” tab.

Please note, this grant opportunity will NOT be available through the Opportunities portal on I-LEAD.

Funds can be allocated across any or all of the four following budget categories:

• Program Enrichment - This may include the cost of developmentally appropriate activities to promote children’s learning and development such as tutoring services, computer training, sports programming, performance arts, math, and science programming. The reimbursable expenses may include instructor fees (other than program staff) and consumable products used for program delivery.
• Equipment - Funds may be used to purchase developmentally appropriate equipment for children between the ages of 5-15. A single equipment purchase reimbursement may not exceed $499. Grantees must keep an inventory including depreciation schedule on all equipment purchased with Federal or State Funds.
• Staffing - Funds may be used to pay for school-age child care program staff salaries not to exceed 90% of the actual staff cost.
• Staff Development - Funds may be used to provide the required 12 hours of in-service professional development. At least 50% of these training hours must be obtained from an outside source. Professional development must be related to providing services for children ages 5-15 and their families.
  Travel Expenses claimed cannot exceed .38 per mile and no out-of-state travel will be reimbursed.

Grant funds may not be used for the following:

• Direct service delivery including payment of tuition for children enrolled in the program.
• Care provided during the hours a child attends elementary or secondary school.
• Care provided on weekends and summer vacation.
• Care provided between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., Monday through Friday.
• Care provided for children under the age of five (5).
• Transportation from the child’s school to the care site or from the care site to the child’s school.
• Drug testing, criminal history checks, first aid training, CPR training, or Tuberculosis tests.
• Goods and/or services that have received funding through other state, Federal, or philanthropic grant opportunities.
• Any other item deemed not eligible by the state.

Grantees shall meet the following performance measures associated with the grant:

1. Grantees shall submit claims for reimbursement within 60 calendar days following the end of the month in which a cost was incurred.
2. Grantees must complete quarterly reporting on how funds are being utilized.
3. Grantees will be responsible for developing and administering a family survey twice per program year.  Grantees shall achieve a satisfactory or better rating on 85% of all completed family surveys at the middle and end of each program year. If they do not, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) will be issued by the State. Surveys should help to inform how grant funds are utilized in the school-aged program.
4. Grantees are required to utilize 100% of their grant funding allocation. Failure to fully utilize the full allocation may result in inability to receive future grant funding from OECOSL.

Because this grant is for cost reimbursement through the claims process, there is no requirement to pay back funds if your program closes or is no longer participating in the grant program.  However, grantees who are found to have violated the terms of the application process or attestation, or who are found to have provided false or misleading information to OECOSL regarding eligibility requirements or spending, may be asked to repay funds, be deemed ineligible for future grant rounds, and/or be referred to Indiana’s Family and Social Services Administration Audits Department for additional action.

The following information is needed when completing the application:

1. Bidder ID from the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA). Bidders IDs can be checked or created here. This is required for you to receive a contract or a payment from the State of Indiana.
2. Supplier ID. If you do not have a Supplier ID, please complete the Comptroller Forms here -- this will allow the State Comptroller’s Office to create and maintain a Supplier ID for you, which is required for you to receive a contract or a payment from the State of Indiana. You will need to complete the W-9 and an Automated Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement form (State Form 47551).  Both forms can be found under the “Accounts Payable Forms” section.
3. Financial information for your child care program.
4. License numbers for each of your program sites.

You will only need to complete one application for the organization. You will be asked to type in the legal name of your program/organization at the beginning of the application form. In the form under “Site Information”, you will be asked to list the name of your program’s site(s). If you have multiple sites for which you are applying for funding under this grant, you will be able to provide site information and funding requests for each site. Please note that you can save and update your application and the corresponding number of sites at any point, up until you click “Submit” on the application page.

Step 1: Review for Mandatory Requirements and Complete Application (PASS/FAIL)
In this step, proposals will be evaluated to ensure that they adhere to all grant requirements, including applicant eligibility. This section of the application will be evaluated based on the overall completeness and accuracy of organization information provided in the application. Applicants must complete all questions regarding their organization information. Applicants that do not meet the eligibility and service requirements may be disqualified. In addition, incomplete proposals may be disqualified. Further, all applications received after the deadline set forth on the SBA Grant Opportunities page for the School Age Child Care Grant - SFY 2027 shall be disqualified.

Step 2: Qualitative Review (Technical Proposal and Priority Criteria)
Proposals will be scored based on the submitted Technical Proposal that is included in the application form. This scoring will have a maximum possible score of 85 points. Evaluations may include one or more rounds of grant proposal clarifications or discussions (oral and/or written) between the State and the applicant focused on the details of the Technical Proposal, including the proposed use of funds.

The following are the application scoring sections:

• Technical Proposal Scoring is worth 85 points.
  • How will funds be used? (45 points)
    • This is the largest portion of scoring. Please be as detailed as possible when describing how the funds will be spent if awarded.
  • How will these funds alleviate gaps in services provided? (25 points)
    • Please describe how the funds can help address gaps (i.e., resource shortages) by providing materials, staff, or technology, expand access or create programs for underserved populations, etc.
  • How will these funds increase the quality of your program beyond the initial grant terms? (15 points)
    • Please discuss how the funds will have a lasting impact on improving your program's quality, even after the initial grant period ends (i.e., plans to use the funding to create sustainable benefits, such as building long-term capacity, developing self-sustaining resources, or implementing changes that will continue to improve the program's effectiveness and reach in the future).
• Each priority criteria is worth (five) 5 points for a total of 15 possible priority points. Priority Points are given if at least of the proposed sites of operation meets the criteria below:
  • Operating as a school-based or non-profit program at a school site
  • Over 75% of families served are eligible for CCDF
  • Operating in a Rural Area - Benton, Blackford, Brown, Carroll, Clay, Crawford, Fountain, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Greene, Harrison, Jasper, Jay, Jennings, Martin, Newton, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Spencer, Starke, Sullivan, Switzerland, Tipton, Union, Vermillion, Warren, Washington, White

Recipients will receive an email of award notice from the SACC Project Manager after the awards are finalized.

Claims can be submitted once the grant is finalized and executed, usually late in the calendar year, and can continue monthly through the end of the school year. You will be required to submit your claims and receipts within 60 days of the end of the month you are claiming for, and reimbursements are usually issued within 30 days of the approved claim. All claims will be due by no later than July 31 at the end of the grant term.

Grantees are required to participate in the Indiana Quality Program. Self-Assessment (IN-QPSA) at every program site within 90 days of their program’s start date. This is a FREE online strengths-based self-assessment tool that enables programs to rate their performance based on the Indiana Afterschool Standards and Specialty Standards. For more information about the Indiana Afterschool Standards or to access the self-assessment tool, please click here

Additionally, grantees shall administer a semi-annual family survey twice per program year and must receive a satisfactory or better rating on 85% of all completed surveys.

Grantees shall administer a survey at the middle and end of each program year. Additionally, the program must achieve a satisfactory or better rating on 85% of all completed surveys.  If they do not, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) will be issued by the state.

Yes, receipts will need to be submitted with each claim, and kept for taxes and audit purposes for three years, in order to show what the funds were used for specifically.

The final claim submission will be due by July 31 of each grant year. Grantees are strongly encouraged to submit final claims as soon as the program has completed the school year to avoid any delays, especially if you will be out for the summer.