Primrose Schools Partnership for Children: Seed Grant Application

The Primrose Schools Partnership for Children^SM (Partnership), the charitable arm of Primrose Schools, is a not-for-profit organization that combines resources and funding raised from franchised Primrose schools and the National Support Center to make an impact locally, regionally and nationally through partnerships that improve early education, child care, health and family well-being. Formerly known as the Primrose Schools Children’s Foundation^®, the Partnership’s mission is to forge a path that leads to a brighter future for ALL children, especially those who are underserved.

The Primrose Schools Partnership for Children Seed Grant is an opportunity for up to eight nonprofit organizations in key geographies to be awarded one-year grants ranging in award size from $15,000–$25,000, with the potential for additional funding opportunities in the future.

The grant funding is for non-profits to engage in planning and collaboration activities that will lead to the implementation, expansion, or enhancement of access to high-quality early education opportunities for children from historically underinvested in communities, consistent with the Partnership’s mission.

Eligible Entities:

The Primrose Schools Partnership for Children does not award grant funding to organizations without 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, including government agencies and for-profit entities.

The Partnership for Children is especially interested in funding innovation and emerging partnerships, and we recognize that this means an organization may not meet traditional markers of longevity and sustainability. If an applicant has an annual operating budget below $1M or less than five years of operating history, please be prepared to provide evidence to your sustainability.

Eligible Uses of Funding

While the Partnership may invest in conferences and learning opportunities, construction and land acquisition for non-profit early learning providers, public advocacy, and research efforts as part of its broader strategic plan, this grant opportunity is directed towards the development of community partnerships that advance direct programming and service delivery.

Definitions for Purposes of this Grant:

For the purposes of this grant, “children from historically underinvested- in communities” refers to children ages birth to five living in low-income households and in those neighborhoods or communities where resources to promote thriving child development are noticeably scarce. We recognize that communities and applicants may be using an existing definition of low-income dictated by another funding stream or program, which may also be used in this grant application for alignment. However, our intent with this funding is to reach families living at or below 85% of the State Median Income (SMI) or the Federal Poverty Level. If applicants use a different definition of low-income in their application, they must demonstrate how funds will reach this intended population.

The Partnership is also particularly interested in the integration of health and therapeutic services (e.g., speech and language, mental health, special education) with quality early education. While not required to be awarded funding through this grant opportunity, applications that reach children from at least one of these additional priority areas are encouraged:

• Children with disabilities or developmental delays
• Children whose families experience barriers related to healthcare access or other social determinants of well-being, such as those Social Determinants of Health recognized by the Centers for Disease Control’s Healthy People 2030 Place-based framework.

For the purposes of this grant “early learning” refers to the comprehensive development and education of children from birth to age five that encompasses the experiences, relationships, and supports that foster young children’s cognitive, social emotional, and physical development and occurs across a wide range of environments. This includes families themselves, as well as traditional early childhood education settings such as Early Head Start, Head Start, public and private early education programs, child care centers, family child care homes, and trusted community caregivers, and also can encompass other spaces where young children and families naturally gather such as libraries, pediatrician offices, community centers, and other family serving locations.

Grant Timeline:

• End of May 2026: Application Launch
• Monday, June 22, 2026: Application closes at 5pm EST.
• No later than July 17, 2026: Selected organizations will be invited to submit additional Information, including organizational financials and audit, as well as proposed program outcomes and evidence of community partnerships.
• No later than August 21, 2026: Funding decisions communicated to applicants
• September 2026: Funds disbursed to selected non-profit organizations

Application Form