Bright & Early DuPage
Bright & Early DuPage Grant Program
Bright & Early DuPage works to ensure every child in DuPage—from birth to age five—has the support they need to start kindergarten ready to learn and thrive. By bringing together local partners, building awareness, and advocating for early learning, the initiative strengthens communities and helps families access vital early childhood education and support services.
Through grants, Bright & Early DuPage supports the creation and growth of local early childhood collaborations. The grant opportunity focuses on efforts that build community capacity, expand access to high-quality early learning, and connect families (especially those with limited resources) to the support they need. We’re especially interested in funding new or existing collaborations that are identifying local needs and working toward sustainable, family-centered solutions.
Who’s Eligible: Newly formed or established early childhood collaborations in DuPage County.
The 2026 grant guidelines are now available!
Grant Guidelines
Below are the 2026 Grant Guidelines. Click or tap a section below for more information.
Why Invest in Early Childhood?
Research shows that children who participate in quality early learning experiences during the first five years of life are better prepared to succeed in kindergarten, which puts them on the path for lifelong success. This is especially true for children who experience any of a multitude of risk factors, such as developmental delays, low income, or their family’s lack of education.
Bright and Early DuPage Background
Bright & Early DuPage was launched in 2012 as an initiative of the DuPage Foundation. In the past 14 years, the Foundation has provided seed funding and ongoing support for a county-wide early childhood collaboration and nine community-based early childhood collaborations. In a 2021 report conducted in DuPage County, key informants made a direct connection between early childhood system success and the presence of early childhood collaborations, especially related to reaching families in need.
The Foundation provides funding for early childhood collaborations in DuPage County to help communities create or enhance their collaborations. These collaborations will work with schools, healthcare providers, early childhood agencies, and families to prepare children for kindergarten. Key efforts include supporting families to understand child development and strengthen relationships, navigate early childhood systems and access resources, expand developmental screenings, and increase enrollment in publicly funded early childhood programs.
Application Due Dates
Applications must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2026. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Grant Opportunities
New Collaboration Development (Maximum Request – $50,000)
Entities interested in applying for this funding should contact Barb Szczepaniak, vice president for programs, at 630.598.5280, prior to applying. Consultative support is available to assist in the establishment of a new collaboration.
Through this opportunity, communities can apply for seed funding to help establish a new early childhood collaboration and begin with initiatives focused on addressing early childhood needs. A community can be defined as a municipality, school district, or any other collection of one or more of each, which are in proximity and working together.
During the first year, a collaboration will be expected to partner with its local school district(s), at least five or more community organizations, childcare providers, and engage with local families who represent the population it is serving. There are also many agencies providing county-wide early childhood programs and services. It is suggested that these agencies are also included in the planning to foster cross-sector cooperation.
Every community is unique, and each collaboration will have its own set of needs and interests as it relates to early childhood. While newly formed collaborations have much to do to establish ongoing operations and develop relationships, it is expected they will prioritize working on the attached Work Plan and Impact Metric activities.
Established early childhood collaborations may apply for funding in subsequent years.
Local Early Childhood Collaborations (Maximum Request – $50,000)
The following are required activities for existing collaborations that apply for funding:
- Engage with community partners such as school districts, health care providers (doctors, nurse practitioners, hospitals, urgent care clinics, etc.) and early childhood education providers as a part of collaboration activities.
- Provide educational programs/events to help families understand child development, strengthen parent-child relationships, and navigate early childhood systems. Offer extra support—such as workshops, seminars, or health fairs—for families with children facing challenges like language barriers, disabilities, or health needs.
- Support and/or increase developmental screenings for young children (ages 0-5 years old) in your region and monitor the number of referrals for early intervention services.
- Promote early childhood education and work towards full enrollment of all available publicly funded early childhood program seats (center-based and home-based) in your community.
Eligibility
Applications for funding will be accepted from newly formed or established early childhood collaborations in DuPage County.
The lead director/coordinator for the collaboration will be responsible for submitting the application and monitoring the grant. A qualifying agency may be a school district or a nonprofit organization that serves young children and families and is a public charity classified as exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Application Review Process
Our Bright & Early DuPage Committee consists of community volunteers, Foundation trustees and Foundation staff.
- Committee will evaluate all applications received.
- Committee will recommend selected community early childhood collaboration efforts to the full Board of Trustees for approval.
- Applicants will be notified about the status of their application in August.
- Grants will be distributed in early August 2026.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more about how we help nonprofits in our community? Visit our nonprofit resources page or reach out to Barb Szczepaniak, vice president for programs, for additional guidance.
