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 education agencies (LEAs) 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).

Grant Information Guide  Grant Application

When will the application be open?

This Grant Information Guide was released on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

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

Friday, April 11, 2025. No later than 5:00 pm EST.

Customer Service Support Sessions

MSDE will hold six 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. The same presentation and information will be used for each session.

Thursday, February 27, 2025
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Recording l Presentation

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - Spanish
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Video call link: https://maryland.zoom.us/meeting/register/BQQwBNDKR06nYYMrTAoejw

Wednesday, March 5, 2025
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Video call link: https://maryland.zoom.us/meeting/register/YHoXf2A2TvuLfhypHrQ5fQ

Thursday, March 6, 2025 - Spanish
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Video call link: https://maryland.zoom.us/meeting/register/h3yU4fAHRpOYLkHwRkumQw

Wednesday, March 12, 2025
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Video call link: https://maryland.zoom.us/meeting/register/Jd7CQUDsToWIhnvXqIl7_w

Wednesday, March 19, 2025
1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Video call link: https://maryland.zoom.us/meeting/register/LWMP-GMFQmu1--fWoOeOsQ

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.