The New Orleans Early Childhood Education Facilities Fund Grant program was created through a partnership between the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and Agenda for Children as direct result of a new property tax millage approved by New Orleans voters in 2022 that leverages state matching funding for the provision of child and family support services, coaching and professional development for teachers, and expansion of the supply of available seats in quality early learning centers. In support of these efforts, Agenda for Children selected the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority to administer a program to repair and expand existing facilities as well as catalyze the development of new facilities in order to expand the number of seats available for children of Low to Moderate Income households. 

The New Orleans Early Childhood Education Facilities Fund Grant Program has the three primary goals:

1.      Increase the overall capacity of early childhood education facilities and the availability of subsidized seats through the construction of new Type III Early Learning Centers in Orleans Parish. 

2.      Expand or preserve the capacity of early childhood education facilities by renovating existing Type III Early Learning Centers in Orleans Parish.

3.      Enhance the quality of early childhood education by establishing, maintaining, and improving Family Child Care provider sites in Orleans Parish.

NORA will accept applications up to 90 days after eligibility (Part A Application) approval.

Applicants should note the following:

1.      All applications must be completed via the web-based portal.[1]

2.      As part of the application packet, be sure to complete the entire application and submit all the required documents to confirm that your application is complete prior to submittal. All required documents are list on the Application Checklist.

3.      If you are approved to participate in the New Orleans Early Childhood Education Facilities Fund Grant Program, you will be required to:

         a.       Sign a written grant agreement with NORA;

         b.      Commit to using the funds for eligible costs only, and

         c.       Commit to providing NORA with monthly status updates during the technical assistance/construction period and bi-yearly organizational updates during the monitoring period.

4.      All program guidelines should be reviewed prior to completing the application.

 

For questions regarding the application completion and submission process please contact Whitney Williams, NORA Economic Development Program Manager at whitney.williams@nola.gov or 504-658-4451.

[1] For any reason, an applicant is unable to complete the application via the web-based portal NORA will accept applications on a case-by-case basis via PDF OneDrive submission. 

Interested parties should review these guidelines thoroughly prior to starting the application. Applicants must submit completed applications along with any required attachments and exhibits directly to NORA as described below. The Part B Application must be submitted by the prescribed deadline. The Part B Application is due within 90 days of receiving eligibility approval and the application. NORA may grant an extension of the deadline on a case-by-case basis.

We strongly encourage applicants to complete the application online through the web based portal.

PDF applications are available upon request with application and required supporting attachments uploaded via OneDrive. Application and OneDrive link should be requested from NORA at least one week prior to the deadline in order to submit application in this format.

Please read and complete the entire application, including the application checklist. All applications must be complete upon submission in order to be considered. Missing items may disqualify you from consideration.

NORA staff will use information provided by applicants to perform a review to help determine eligibility and appropriateness. NORA reserves the right to cancel this program at any time and to accept or reject, in whole or in part, any and all proposals for any reason. No commitment of funding is final until a grant agreement has been executed between the parties. NORA reserves the right to extend the deadline and/or re-open this application and will announce such via its website. 

NORA reserves the right to re-open this application and will announce such via its website at https://noraworks.org/programs/commercial/ece-facilities 

APPLICANT TYPE

• Current Type III Early Learning Centers licensed by the Louisiana Department of Education to operate in Orleans Parish or those with the intent to apply for a license to operate a Type III commercial early childhood education facility located in Orleans Parish with demonstrated experience in early childhood education;

-OR-

• Current Family Child Care providers with academic approval in Orleans Parish (grantees must opt in to academic approval for the duration of the grant compliance and recapture period); 

-OR-

• Developers or property owners with an existing or planned Type III Early Learning Center may apply if they identify an eligible co-applicant, who is a current or new Type III Early Learning provider. 
   

APPLICANT STATUS 

• Applicants must serve children from six weeks through age 3; 
• Applicants must apply for subsidized seats administered by Agenda for Children or other authorized agencies; 
• Applicants must be in good standing with the State of Louisiana, City of New Orleans, and all other applicable entities to ensure the business is in full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and operations; 
• Applicants must be free of any pending Louisiana Department of Education investigations or legal actions that call into question the applicant’s capacity to care for children in a manner that ensures their safety, including, but not limited to documented repetitive and/or serious violations; and
• Applicants that are currently licensed through the Louisiana Department of Education must resolve outstanding violations prior to execution of the grant agreement. 
   

ELIGIBLE SITES [1]

• Located within Orleans Parish; 
• Appropriately zoned for the type of center operated or proposed, or legally non-conforming as determined by the City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits; and
• Type III Early Learning Centers that are, or will be, owned or leased by the eligible applicant/organization at the time of application; 
• If the site is leased, the lease must be recorded with the Land Records Division of the Office of the Clerk of Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans and have a term that matches or exceeds the grant monitoring period, which shall not be less than 2 years regardless of grant scale. Leased sites will require proof of the owner’s approval of work being performed; [2] or
• Family Child Care providers with academic approval that are owned, occupied, and operated by the applicant/provider. 
   

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES   

        

Funding Levels

SEED                 (up to $50,000)

SUPPORT          ($50,001 - $100,000)

GROW               ($100,001 - $250,000)

Type III Early Learning Centers (SEED, SUPPORT, and GROW grant tiers)

• Planning and pre-development costs including feasibility studies and other business development technical assistance, architectural and engineering (A&E) design technical assistance [3], investigation of environmental conditions and testing, and other related costs;
• New construction of an early childhood education facility;
• Physical renovations for building code compliance, to increase the facility’s licensed physical capacity, or otherwise enhance the facility’s quality and ability to serve infants and toddlers, including, but not limited to:
  • Improvements to heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems, including windows and Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) equipment;
  • Repairs and system upgrades that enhance the health, safety, and comfort of occupants including roof replacement, improved lighting, upgraded electrical, plumbing, fire suppression, and life safety systems;
  • Physical environment modifications including accessibility or other improvements to support inclusion of children with special needs;
  • Playground/outdoor facility upgrades and expansion (e.g., fixed equipment, shade, surfacing, fencing/hazard enclosure, gates, landscaping, drainage, etc.);
  • Fixtures, furnishings and equipment only if required to expand licensed capacity to infants and toddlers;
  • Security equipment such as cameras, buzzers, gates and fences;
  • Kitchen renovations and commercial equipment upgrades;
  • Improvements that increase the accessibility of the facility to children, parents, guardians or staff;
  • Improvements that resolve conditions cited by government agencies;
  • Environmental hazard remediation;

• Any additional uses identified and approved by NORA Staff.

Family Child Care Provider Facilities (SEED grant tier only)

• Planning and pre-development costs including feasibility studies and other business development technical assistance, architectural and engineering (A&E) design technical assistance, investigation of environmental conditions and testing, and other related costs;
• Physical renovations for building code compliance to enhance the facility’s quality and ability to serve infants and toddlers, including, but not limited to:
  • Improvements to new or existing licensed homes to ensure they comply with the fire and life safety requirements of all applicable codes adopted by the City of New Orleans and State of Louisiana;
  • Renovations, outdoor play area improvements, equipment, furnishings, and materials required to increase the quality of the environment for infants and toddlers including conversion of existing unused indoor or outdoor space into program space;

• Any additional uses identified and approved by NORA Staff.

INELIGIBLE EXPENSES

• Property acquisition;
• Extraordinary costs required for retrofitting (e.g., underpinning and excavation);
• Vehicle or transportation expenses;
• Business or working capital;
• Indirect or administrative costs;
• Professional development;
• Day-to-day operating costs such as salaries, rent and food purchases;
• Non-permanent supplies (e.g., art materials) and other consumable materials such as paint, cleaning supplies, paper, etc.;
• Repayment of loans or reimbursement of any otherwise eligible expenses incurred prior to the execution of the Grant Agreement;
• Any expense that does not support increasing quality or quantity of infant and toddler seats;
• Any expenses deemed ineligible by NORA Staff.

[1] Applicants can apply for funding for multiple sites, but will still be required to submit individual applications for each site and each applicant will only be allocated grant funds for one at a time.
[2] If the lease is shorter than the grant compliance and recapture period, a letter from the building owner stating their intention to continue the lease through the grant compliance and recapture period will suffice for application purposes.
[3] SEED and SUPPORT grant tiers only

All terms and other guidelines may be modified by NORA based on program priorities. All updates to this solicitation will be posted on NORA’s website at www.noraworks.org.

This grant has a two-phase application process:

Part A: Pre-Application (for confirmation of applicant eligibility and project appropriateness)

Part B: Grant Application Submission (to assess project)

Eligible providers are required to submit a Part B application to properly assess the project. NORA will accept one Part B application per qualified site provider starting September 4, 2024, by online submission.

Web based portal submissions are preferred. PDF applications are available upon request with application and required supporting attachments uploaded via OneDrive. Application and OneDrive link should be requested from NORA at least one week prior to the deadline in order to submit application in this format.  

Additional Requirements: NORA reserves the right to add any and all requirements that are needed to effectuate the goals of this program or comply with any legal requirements. All activities must comply with city, state, and federal codes, rules, and regulations. NORA reserves the right to amend the instructions, requirements, or scope of eligible uses. Copies of such amendments shall be posted to NORA’s website. Further, NORA may waive certain provisions of these requirements based upon a determination of the public benefits of the project.

Publication and Promotion: Successful applicants agree to participate in any reasonable promotional activity and to prominently display NORA signage on the site if requested. Such signage may be as large as standard real estate “For Sale” signage and shall be provided by NORA.

Proprietary Information: As a public agency, NORA is subject to the disclosure requirements of the Public Records Act, La.R.S. 44:1, et seq. Only information which is in the nature of legitimate trade secrets or non-published financial data may be deemed proprietary or confidential. Any material within a submission identified as such must be clearly marked as CONFIDENTIAL and will be handled in accordance with the Louisiana Public Records Act, R.S. 44: 1-44 and applicable rules and regulations. Any submission marked as CONFIDENTIAL in its entirety may be rejected without further consideration or recourse.

Cost of Preparing Submission: NORA shall not be liable for any costs incurred by applicants. Costs associated with developing the proposal, or any other expenses incurred by the applicant in connection with this application are entirely the responsibility of the applicant and shall not be reimbursed in any manner by NORA.

Errors and Omissions in Proposal: NORA shall not be liable for any errors in proposals. NORA has the right to request clarification or additional information from the applicants. The application and proposal of selected applicants may become part of any agreement initiated by NORA.

Contact and References: Applicants must provide accurate contact information and attest to the veracity of the information supplied. NORA and AFC expect to conduct site visits. At its discretion, NORA staff may contact references and industry sources, investigate current commitments, interview some or all of the proposed team members, and take any other information into account in its evaluation of the responses. NORA reserves the right to request clarification or additional information and to request that applicants make presentations to the NORA Board of Commissioners.

Completeness of Application: If the application is missing any of the required attachments at the time it is submitted to NORA, the application will be returned to the applicant for correction and may be resubmitted anytime during the grant application period. NORA may ask for clarification on the submitted materials at its own discretion

Eligibility Information

• Site Control
  • Proof of ownership (Act of Cash Sale) or executed lease, deed of trust, LOI, etc.
• Property Owner Approval (for leased properties)
  • Written approval for renovation or construction work.
• Licenses (for existing locations only)
  • Copy of licenses to operate

Project Strength 

• Proposed Project Plan
  • If there have been any changes to Proposed Project Plan provided in the Part A application response, please attach an updated narrative
• Business Summary (SEED or SUPPORT) or Business Plan (GROW)
  • Business summary confirming describing overall experience, good standing, history of quality, facility capacity, revenue, current expenses, and other relevant information
• Business Plan (if grant scope includes facility expansion).
  • Site-specific business plan outlining prospective business offerings for expanded or new facility.
• Project Sources and Uses of Funds
  • Project budget detailing all sources and uses of funding (for center and larger development project if applicable), including proposed grant funding.
  • Click here for Sources and Uses Template 
• Scope of Work
  • Written description of the entire project scope of work with grant-funded elements specifically identified
• Site Evaluation (if necessary)
  • Feasibility analysis including zoning, land use, building code, licensing requirements, title inspection, soils, geological, and environmental reports.
• Construction Documents (if necessary)
  • Site plan, floor plans, building elevations, detailed work specifications, building design summary, and preliminary construction cost estimate.
• Construction Bids/Cost Estimate
  • 2 signed bids with contact information and professional certification (contractors must be licensed in Louisiana and carry Workers Compensation if they have employees) -OR- Cost Estimate developed or confirmed by NORA Architecture and Engineering Design Technical assistance provider
• Construction Timeline
  • Continuous Childcare Operations Plan (if necessary)

Financial Strength 

• Program Operating Budget
  • Existing Facilities: Current and future operation budget.
  • New Facilities: Month-by-month cash flow budget, showing ramp-up phase. Proof of funding to cover shortfalls required at award stage.
• Financial Statements
  • Type III Early Learning Centers: Current P&L Statement (within 90 days), Balance Statement and most recent tax return transcript.
  • Family Child Care providers: personal financial statement and most recent tax return transcript (including Schedule C).
  • New Facility: personal financial statement and most recent tax return transcript.
• Proof of Matching Funds/Applicant Contribution for Construction Cost
  • Bank statement, line of credit, or other documentation confirming access to matching funds.
• Other Funding Commitments (if necessary)
  • Evidence of loan commitments, available credit, etc.

• Business Summary (SEED or SUPPORT) or Business Plan (GROW)
  • Business summary confirming describing overall experience, good standing, history of quality, facility capacity, revenue, current expenses, and other relevant information.
  • Business plan (if grant scope includes facility expansion).
    • Site-specific business plan outlining prospective business offerings for expanded or new facility
• Project Sources and Uses of Funds
  • Project budget detailing all sources and uses of funding (for center and larger development project if applicable), including proposed grant funding.
• Scope of Work
  • Written description of the entire project scope of work with grant-funded elements specifically identified
• Site Evaluation (if necessary)
  • Feasibility analysis including zoning, land use, building code, licensing requirements, title inspection, soils, geological, and environmental reports.
• Construction Documents (if necessary)
  • Site plan, floor plans, building elevations, detailed work specifications, building design summary, and preliminary construction cost estimate.
• Construction Bids/Cost Estimate
  • 2 signed bids with contact information and professional certification (contractors must be licensed in Louisiana and carry Workers Compensation if they have employees) -OR- Cost Estimate developed or confirmed by NORA Architecture and Engineering Design Technical assistance provider.
• Construction Timeline
• Continuous Operations Plan (if necessary)

Grantees are expected to invest or attract additional capital as leverage for any grant-funded construction project. Grantees may provide their own equity or debt provided by a lender as a match. Landlords may also provide investment match on behalf of a lessee. The required match level is:

• 5% of construction costs for Seed Grants (up to $2,500 on a maximum grant of $50,000)
• 10% of construction costs for Support Grants (up to $10,000 on a maximum grant of $100,000)
• 15% of construction costs for Grow Grants (up to $37,500 on a maximum grant of $250,000)

Grant match is not required for design or business technical assistance provided through the grant program.

Total grant funds awarded for construction will be capped based on a per seat investment maximum:

Type III Child Care Centers

• $2,000 max grant award per existing seat (based upon existing licensed capacity)
• $5,000 max grant award per new seat created (based on net increase in licensed capacity)

Family Child Care Providers

• $5,000 max investment per seat for quality enhancement

• Financial Statements
  • Type III Early Learning Centers: Current P&L Statement (within 90 days), Balance Statement and most recent tax return transcript.
  • Family Child Care providers: personal financial statement and most recent tax return transcript (including Schedule C).
  • New Facility: personal financial statement and most recent tax return transcript.
• Program Operating Budget
  • Existing Facilities: Current and future operation budget.
  • New Facilities: Month-by-month cash flow budget, showing ramp-up phase. Proof of funding to cover shortfalls required at award stage.
    
• Proof of Matching Funds/Applicant Contribution
  • Bank statement, line of credit, or other documentation confirming access to matching funds.
• Other Funding Commitments (if necessary)
  • Evidence of loan commitments, available credit, etc.