Did you know the Alberta Government has a grant program available to assist with the costs of further education and professional development for Early Childhood Educators? This funding is available to day home educators that are contracted with a licensed agency.
The goal is to make continuing education for day home educators more attainable and affordable. Educators can use this funding to obtain higher levels of certification and strengthen leadership, management, administration, and early childhood education skills and knowledge.
Why pursue further training and professional development?
This access to additional training is designed to further enrich day home experiences – educators benefit from enhancing their skillset… and families benefit as a result.
- increases in wage top-up with Early Childhood Educator Levels 1, 2, and 3
- more skills and knowledge re: child care, business administration, etc.
- greater confidence
- networking opportunities
- benefits to the children receiving care (e.g., ideas for stimulating activities, more equipped to deal with issues, greater understanding of developmental milestones, etc.)
- benefits to the parents of children in care (e.g., better communication strategies, educators as a resource to parents, more trust in educator, etc.)
Who is eligible to receive the PD Grant Funding?
The professional development grant funding is for individuals who:
- Provide direct childcare (e.g., work directly with the children in care)
- Are contracted with an eligible, licensed childcare program (day care or family day home agency)
- Are certified Early Childhood Educators – Level 1, 2 or 3 (you must have your Level 1 to be eligible for funding)
- If you do not have your Level 1, ask your consultant how you can complete it — at home — for free
- Are Canadian citizens or official Permanent Residents of Canada
- Have made a payment for a course, workshop, or conference
- Have submitted a Professional Development Funding Request Form within the same fiscal year as the expenditure (April 1 to March 31)
- Have worked a minimum of 29 hours in at least one month since the expenditure
What is covered by the PD Grant Funding?
- Tuition fees
- Required textbooks
- For those at Level 3, this coursework should strengthen leadership, management, pedagogical leadership, administration, and early childhood education skills and knowledge
- Conference and workshop fees related to early learning and childcare that have been approved by the Alberta Child Care Grant Funding Program
- To find out if a program is approved, please email Alberta Child Care Funding Program cs.childcarefunding@gov.ab.ca
- Time spent completing coursework / attending a workshop or conference
How much money can you receive via the PD Grant Funding per year?
Training costs
Each year (April 1 – March 31), eligible educators can receive
- up to $500 a year towards approved workshops or conferences
- up to $1,500 a year towards post-secondary (ie. Early Childhood Education Level 2 or 3)
Release time
You can also apply for release time in order to be paid for time spent (April 1 – March 31)
- completing post-secondary coursework ($800 per course – maximum of 2 courses per year)
- attending approved workshops or conferences ($17.50/hour – maximum 45 hours)
How to apply for PD Grant Funding
You must register for the course/training and pay first, and then apply to have the government reimburse you.
- Complete the Professional Development Request Form
- You can find this on the Alberta Government website (on the Child Care Grant Funding page), on our Educator Document Portal, or ask your consultant
- Deadline is March 31 (including expenses and release time since the previous April 1)
- g., for a course paid for August 2022, taken September-December 2022 – PD funding must be applied for by March 31, 2023
- Your consultant can help you with the application, or you can email sasha@calgaryfamilydayhomes.com.
For your application, you will need:
- The name of the course/training
- The name of the organization providing the course/training
- The amount paid and date paid
- You must provide the completed form to your consultant, then the agency applies for the funding for you
NOTE: hours spent by ECEs in post-secondary training, workshops and conferences are not eligible for wage top-up funding, even if the release time grant was approved for this training.
How does the funding approval process work?
- Once the form is submitted, it can take up to 3 months to get notice of approval
- Once approved, the money will be sent directly to the agency (just like Wage Top Up and Infant Incentive)
- Once the agency receives the money it will be added to your next invoice
- This may be the month after the approval was received, depending on the date of approval / invoicing date
Have questions?
Touch base with your consultant as they will be help you with the application, or you can email sasha@calgaryfamilydayhomes.com.
“It takes a big heart to help shape little minds.”