Deadline: 31-January-2026
The Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood is offering an opportunity for innovative research and development initiatives that aim to improve the well-being of children from birth through age seven.
Applicants may propose creative programs that contribute to parenting education, early childhood welfare, or early childhood education and play, so long as the work promises broader professional interest and national relevance. Projects can span topics such as nurturing home environments, culturally responsive childcare practices, imaginative learning materials or curricula, and should reflect fresh thinking rather than simply replicating existing models.
Applicants must submit a Letter of Inquiry outlining their organization’s background, mission, project concept, planned outcomes and how the proposal aligns with the Foundation’s guidelines. If invited, they will then submit a full proposal for further review. The Foundation emphasizes that supported projects should serve as incubators of new ideas and that multi-year funding is generally not offered—only the first year of a project may be funded, which highlights the need for projects that can begin and show results within that timeframe.
There are clear limitations: the opportunity is only open to programs based in the United States, it cannot support the expansion of existing programs, purchase of capital equipment, staging of single events, or proposals from for-profit entities. Administrative overhead must be modest (no more than 15 % of project direct costs) and the focus must be on work with a defined public benefit for young children. Organisations interested in advancing novel practices in early childhood development and education may find this to be a valuable source of seed funding for initiatives that have the potential to scale or influence the field.
For more information, visit Caplan Foundation for Early Childhood.
