The Prekindergarten Expansion Grant is a competitive grant program administered by the Division of Early Childhood at the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). It provides funding for local school systems (LSSs) and private providers to administer high-quality prekindergarten and school readiness services throughout the State for children and their families in alignment with The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The purpose of the grant is to broaden availability and expand access to high-quality prekindergarten educational programming and school readiness services for three- year-old and four-year-old students from families with household incomes up to 300% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL). For Fiscal Year 2025 funding only, Tier I families include Tier II children with disabilities and children who speak a home language other than English. Tier II children are between 300% and 600% of FPL.

Grant Information Guide  Grant Application

When will the application be open?

This Grant Information Guide was released on Friday, March 15, 2024.

Who is eligible to apply

This funding opportunity is designed for those who will deliver Prekindergarten services, including Local School Systems (LSSs) or qualified vendors (as defined in COMAR 13a.06.02) and/or private providers who:

• hold a valid license or registration.
• have not incurred any serious health or safety violations.
• are Head Start programs.

Application Submission Date

Tuesday, April 30, 2024. No later than 5:00 pm EST.

Customer Service Support Sessions

MSDE will hold three customer service support sessions for interested applicants. During these sessions, MSDE personnel will review what applicants need to get started, the program requirements, as well as a walk-through of the application.

Customer Service Support Session 1

• April 1, 2024
• Recording

Customer Service Support Session 2

• April 10, 2024
• Recording

Customer Service Support Session 3

• April 12, 2024
• Recording

Questions

If you have questions about the application or the process, please contact the Program Manager:

Nykia Washington, Prekindergarten Program Manager
Division of Early Childhood Development
Phone: (410) 767-0088
nykia.washington@maryland.gov

A list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) and answers will be posted to the MSDE website following the customer support sessions.