Deadline: 15-Jul-26
The AF3: Early Years Programme by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust provides grants of £5,000 to £80,000 to improve early childhood education and childcare for children aged 0–5 from currently serving armed forces families. The programme supports projects lasting up to two years that enhance childcare capacity, learning environments, staff skills, family engagement, and collaborative support for service children.
About the Program
The AF3: Early Years Programme supports early childhood education and childcare settings in meeting the unique needs of young children from currently serving armed forces families.
The programme aims to improve access to high-quality childcare, strengthen support for service children, and help providers respond to challenges associated with military life, including mobility, deployment, and family separation.
Program Objectives
Projects must contribute to at least one of the following outcomes:
- Increase the capacity of early childhood education and childcare settings to accommodate more service children.
- Improve learning environments for young children from armed forces families.
- Strengthen staff knowledge and understanding of the needs of service children through training and resources.
- Develop collaborative networks and shared resources among childcare providers.
- Increase engagement with families during military-related challenges such as deployment, relocation, and separation.
- Improve access to high-quality childcare for children under five.
Funding Amount
Applicants can request grants ranging from:
- £5,000 to £80,000
The programme supports projects lasting:
- Up to two years
The funding process is competitive, and not all eligible applications will receive funding.
Eligible Activities
Funding may be used for projects that:
- Expand childcare capacity for service children.
- Improve indoor or outdoor learning environments.
- Deliver specialist staff training.
- Develop educational resources focused on the needs of service children.
- Create collaborative partnerships between childcare providers.
- Develop shared resources across multiple settings.
- Strengthen engagement with armed forces families.
- Improve support during deployment, relocation, and family separation.
Expected Outcomes
Projects should demonstrate measurable benefits such as:
- Increased availability of childcare places for service children.
- Enhanced educational environments.
- Better-trained childcare professionals.
- Stronger collaboration between childcare settings.
- Improved support for military families.
- Sustainable improvements in early years provision.
Eligible Applicants
Applications are open to:
- Early childhood education providers.
- Childcare providers operating in areas where armed forces families live or work.
- Settings attended by service children aged 0–5 from currently serving armed forces families.
- Local authorities.
Local Authority Eligibility
Local authorities may apply to:
- Deliver specialist training for early childhood education and childcare providers.
- Develop shared resources across multiple childcare settings.
- Strengthen support for service children aged 0–5.
Project Requirements
Applicants should demonstrate:
- Clear benefits for service children from currently serving armed forces families.
- Good value for money.
- Sustainable long-term impact.
- How the project addresses the specific needs of military families.
- How the project improves access to quality childcare.
Program Benefits
The programme helps organizations to:
- Improve childcare services for service families.
- Build staff expertise.
- Enhance learning environments.
- Strengthen partnerships between providers.
- Improve family engagement.
- Deliver lasting improvements for children under five.
Tips for a Strong Application
Applicants can strengthen their proposal by:
- Clearly identifying the needs of service children.
- Demonstrating how the project will improve childcare quality.
- Showing evidence of demand within the local military community.
- Explaining the long-term sustainability of the project.
- Providing realistic budgets and timelines.
- Demonstrating value for money.
- Highlighting collaboration with other providers where appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who can apply?
Eligible applicants include early childhood education and childcare providers serving areas where armed forces families live or work, as well as local authorities supporting service children aged 0–5.
How much funding is available?
Applicants may request grants ranging from £5,000 to £80,000.
How long can projects last?
Projects may run for up to two years.
What types of projects are supported?
The programme supports projects that expand childcare capacity, improve learning environments, provide staff training, strengthen family engagement, and develop shared resources or collaborative networks.
Who will benefit from the programme?
The programme is designed to benefit children aged 0–5 from currently serving armed forces families, along with their families and caregivers.
Can local authorities apply?
Yes. Local authorities may apply to provide training for childcare providers and develop shared resources across multiple early years settings.
Conclusion
The AF3: Early Years Programme provides grants of £5,000 to £80,000 to strengthen early childhood education and childcare for young children from armed forces families. By supporting improved learning environments, staff development, increased childcare capacity, collaborative partnerships, and stronger family engagement, the programme aims to deliver sustainable improvements that help service children thrive during the unique challenges of military life.
For more information, visit Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.