Building Up Oregon’s Child Care
Providers
Funding and support for family child care providers and centers.
In partnership with Preschool for All (PFA), we offer grants, loans, and technical assistance to family child care providers, child care centers, and child care developers.
If you are interested in co-locating a child care center with an affordable housing development, you can learn more here.
Have a Project that Needs Funding?
Take the first step by learn more about our funding types or filling out an interest form. When starting your inquiry, Submittable will prompt you to create an account.
Funding Criteria
To receive Preschool for All Facilities Fund support, applicants must:
- Be a qualified Preschool for All provider. New Center grants require applicants to have an allocation letter from PFA.
- Have an active license with the Department of Early Learning and Care with no serious, valid licensing violations
Additionally, your proposed project must:
- Be located in Multnomah County
- Create, preserve, or enhance the number of child care spaces
- Demonstrate a need for grant funding to complete the project
- Have required permits to complete the project
- Have control of the designated site
- Demonstrate program viability beyond the grant period
- Be in good standing with Preschool for All
Funding Priorities
As Preschool for All meets its goals for universal preschool, funding priorities have evolved to meet the program's needs. Below is a summary of our current priorities, which may change as new information becomes available or program needs shift.
Funding priorities currently include:
- PFA providers with urgent health and safety issues affecting licensure
- PFA providers seeking to renovate current sites
- PFA providers with plans to expand to offer new PFA seats
- Projects that are co-located with affordable housing; preserve existing PFA seats; enhance the quality of existing PFA seats; or include climate, energy, and green building investments.
- Projects located in an area with a demonstrated need for PFA seats or with a high shortfall of seats
- Projects that serve different needs, such as programs serving children with disabilities, specializing in culturally or linguistically responsive programs, or with nontraditional hours
Funding Types
We offer various funding opportunities for child care providers and developers. Explore them below.
Supporting Family Child Care
Renovation & Repair
Fund the renovation or repair of your child care site located in Multnomah County.
Grants of approximately $5,000 per seat preserved or enhanced, up to $75,000. Accessible loans also available.
Eligible Uses of Funds
- Planning and pre-development costs
- Physical renovations or fixed equipment
- Outdoor play area improvements
- Required health and safety equipment
- Security equipment
- Accessibility improvements
Ineligible Uses of Funds
- Site acquisition
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Office equipment or furniture
- Certain costs related to retrofitting such as underpinning and excavation
- Repairs or renovations to parts of the home not used for child care
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
Pre-Development
Fund the planning and development of a well-designed child care site Multnomah County.
Grants of up to $10,000 and accessible loans.
Pre-Development Grants for Renovation & Repair projects are capped at 10% of the Renovation & Repair grant caps: $7,500 for family child care.
Eligible Uses of Funds
- Real estate appraisals
- Building assessments
- Feasibility studies
- Business plan development
- Building permits
- Architectural and design services
- Project management and consultant fees
Ineligible Uses of Funds
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Vehicle or transportation expenses
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
Supporting Child Care Centers
Renovation and Repair
Fund the renovation of your child care center located in Multnomah County.
Grants of approximately $5,000 per seat created or preserved (up to $500,000), and accessible loans.
Eligible Uses
- Planning and pre-development costs
- Physical renovations
- Outdoor play area improvements
- Security equipment
- Kitchen renovations and commercial equipment upgrades
- Accessibility improvements
- Fire Code-compliant construction and renovation
- Required health and safety equipment
Ineligible Uses
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Working capital to cover shortfalls or delays from payment sources
- Supplies and consumable materials such as cleaning supplies and paper
- Office equipment and/or furniture
- Vehicle or transportation costs
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
Pre-Development
Fund the planning of a well-designed child care center in Multnomah County.
Grants of up to $100,000 and accessible loans.
Pre-Development Grants for Renovation & Repair projects are capped at 10% of the Renovation & Repair grant caps: $50,000 for centers.
Eligible Uses
- Real estate appraisals
- Building assessments
- Feasibility studies
- Business plan development
- Building permits
- Architectural and design services
- Project management and consultant fees
Ineligible Uses
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Vehicle or transportation expenses
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
New Center
Fund the planning of a well-designed child care center in Multnomah County.
Grants of $25,000 per PFA seat up to $1,000,000, and accessible loans.
Eligible Uses
- Site acquisition up to 40% of purchase price
- Planning and pre-development costs, such as feasibility studies, business plan development, and permits
- Facility and site construction or renovation costs
- Outdoor play area improvements
- Security equipment
- Accessibility improvements
Ineligible Uses
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Vehicle or transportation expenses
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
Supporting Child Care Developers
If you are a developer interested in co-locating a child care facility with an affordable housing development, you can find information on funding here.
New Center
Fund the development of a well-designed child care center in Multnomah County.
Grants of $25,000 per PFA seat up to $1,000,000, and accessible loans.
Eligible Uses
- Renovations to increase, preserve, or enhance child care seats
- Planning and pre-development costs, such as feasibility studies, business plan development, and permits
- Site acquisition
- Outdoor play area improvements
- Security equipment
- Accessibility improvements
Ineligible Uses
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Vehicle or transportation expenses
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
Pre-Development
Fund the planning of a well-designed child care center in Multnomah County.
Grants of up to $100,000 and accessible loans.
Pre-Development Grants for Renovation & Repair projects are capped at 10% of the Renovation & Repair grant caps: $75,000 for centers.
Eligible Uses
- Real estate appraisals
- Building assessments
- Feasibility studies
- Business plan development
- Building permits
- Architectural and design services
- Project management and consultant fees
Ineligible Uses
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment
- Day-to-day operating costs
- Supplies and consumable materials
- Vehicle or transportation expenses
- Indirect or administrative costs
This is not a comprehensive list. For more information, see our Program Guidelines.
New Center Development
Supports the planning and development of viable, well-designed center-based child care facilities and sites. For the PFA Facilities Fund, grants of approximately $25,000 per slot up to $1,000,000 may be available depending on the number of child care spaces impacted, priority status of the project, and availability of funding. Grants may only be used for areas of the facility used for child care.
For the OHCS Co-location Fund, grant funds of approximately $20,000 per slot up to $750,000 may be available depending on the number of child care spaces impacted, priority status of the project and availability of funding. Applications for this fund are currently closed. BuildUp Oregon and OHCS plan to announce funded projects in spring 2025.
The Co-Location Fund received $10 million in the 2021-23 biennium. However, the Governor’s Recommended Budget does not include any funding for this program for the 2025-27 biennium. A minimum of $10 million through the OHCS budget bill or a direct appropriation will allow this vital work to continue. Help us preserve this vital program by signing our letter to the Ways & Means subcommittee.
Eligible Uses
- Facility renovations to increase, preserve, or enhance child care spaces;
- Planning and pre-development costs including feasibility studies, business plan development, permits, architectural services, and related costs;
- Site acquisition;
- Outdoor play area improvements, sprinklers, shade canopies, installation of resilient surfaces, storage sheds, gardening areas, and landscaping;
- Equipment and furnishings required to create, preserve, or enhance the number of child care spaces;
- Security equipment such as cameras, buzzers, gates, and fences;
- Some non-fixed equipment necessary for health and safety such as changing tables or portable sinks;
- Improvements that increase the accessibility of the program to children, parents, guardians, or staff with special physical or mental health needs;
- Consultants to assist with the physical development and/or licensing of the facility; and
- Any additional uses identified by BuildUp Oregon.
Ineligible Uses
- Program materials, furniture, and non-fixed equipment;
- Day-to-day operating costs such as salaries, rent, and food purchases;
- Working capital to cover shortfalls or delays in payments from families, government agencies, or other funding sources;
- Supplies such as art materials and other consumable materials such as cleaning supplies and paper;
- Professional development;
- Purchase of unrelated equipment such as computers, iPads, or televisions;
- Office equipment and/or furniture;
- Vehicle or transportation expenses;
- Repayment of loans or reimbursement of previously incurred expenses that do not meet reimbursement criteria;
- Certain costs related to retrofitting such as underpinning and excavation;
- Repairs or renovations to parts of the home not used for child care;
- Any expense that does not support increasing, preserving, or enhancing the number of child care spaces;
- Indirect or administrative costs.
Criteria for Funding
- The applicant must intend to create, preserve, or enhance the number of child care spaces;
- The applicant must demonstrate financial and organizational viability through the project phase, and for child care operations for the term of the grant as demonstrated by project budget, business plan, operating budget, and most recent tax return;
- The applicant must demonstrate grant funding is necessary to undertake or complete the project as described in the application;
- The applicant must obtain any required permits for the proposed project;
- The renovation project must be approved in writing by the property owner;
- The applicant must provide evidence that it has control of the designated child care site for the term of the grant and beyond, pursuant to the lease and PFA participation requirements; and
- The applicant must demonstrate long-term sustainability beyond the term of the grant as demonstrated by the business plan, budgets, and the application.
Where Care is Needed Most
Explore Multnomah County’s child care landscape to see where child care is most needed. If your site is in an area with high shortfall, your project may be prioritized for funding. View the map.
Ready to Fund Your Project?
You will be asked to create an account with Submittable.
Resources
Overview of Preschool for All
Learn about requirements for participating in Preschool for All in Multnomah County.
Overview of BuildUp Oregon for Providers
See all BuildUp Oregon funding types and eligibility requirements.
Funding Your Project with BuildUp Oregon
See the step-by-step process for applying and receiving BuildUp Oregon funding.