Sources of Financing | Project Consultants
Equipment Suppliers | Web Links

The FUND can help link providers with other resources they need to get their facilities projects done:

• other sources of financing

• architects, project managers, and other consultants

• equipment suppliers

• other useful web-sites.

Sources of Financing

In addition to FUND loans and the grant resources we help to administer, other places to look for additional financing include:

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding: Federal funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that can be used for non-profit facilities improvements, subject to the allocation plan adopted by each recipient city or town. Contact your city or town planning or community development office for more information.  In Boston, the Department of Neighborhood Development awards CDBG grants of up to $25,000 through its "Partners with Non-Profits" program.  Contact John Lynch at 617-635-0600 for more information.

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funding (US Department of Health and Human Services): Head Start grantees are sometimes able to access capital funding through ACF out of carryover expansion funding. Providers should contact Douglas Raleigh at ACF (617-565-1125) for more information.

Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC): Providers whose projects involve the renovation of properties listed (or eligible for listing) in the State Register of Historic Places can apply to MHC for predevelopment grants ($5,000-$30,000) and/or capital grants ($7,500-$150,000). MHC typically looks for a 50% funding match.  For more information, contact Elsa Fitzgerald at 617-727-8470.

Rural Development Office, US Department of Agriculture:  Providers in rural communities of less than 20,000 can apply for loan guarantees, direct loans, and/or grants to build or improve child care facilities.  Loans are available at below-market rates, depending on the median income of the service area, at terms of up to 40 years.  For more information, contact Daniel Beaudette, Community and Business Programs Director, at 413-253-4340.

Foundation Grants: (Note: This list is not exhaustive, and you will want to do additional research to identify other prospects.) A variety of private foundations make grants for capital projects. Below, you’ll find a list of several of those that make capital grants to child care facilities. Before getting in touch with any of them, however, keep the following in mind:

Before sending in a proposal, you should always first call and speak with foundation staff and ask for their current guidelines. This will help you to determine spending priorities, which change from time to time, to get general information about the likelihood of receiving funding, and to get help thinking about how to craft a proposal that is likely to succeed.You should ask for the foundation’s annual report to see how much was recently given and to whom.

Check out meeting dates and deadlines for any foundation you are targeting.

Some foundations will give for several years in a row – check to find out their policy and approach to multi-year grants.

You can find a great deal of useful information about foundations and grant-making through Associated Grant Makers, either by using their printed directory, their resource materials at their office, or their on-line directory, www.agmconnect.org.

State/Local Foundations:

John W. Alden Trust
617-664-3358 Contact: Olive Kelly
Grant size: $3,000 - $37,500
Geographic area/restrictions: Eastern MA, special needs children

Bank of America Foundation
100 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02106
Geographic area/restrictions: Massachusetts

Barr Foundation
617-854-3500 Contact: Kerri Ann Hurley
Grant size: Typical grant is $100,000, with larger grants possible
Geographic area/restrictions: Greater Boston; NO UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS

Boston Globe Foundation
617-929-2895 Contact: Suzanne Maas
Grant size: $3,000 - $10,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Chelsea

Clipper Ship Foundation
617-426-7172, x 317 Contact: Anna Karlsson
Grant size: $1,000-$15,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Greater Boston (w/i 128), Lawrence, Brockton

Georgiana Goddard Eaton Memorial Fund
617-426-7172, x 309 Contact: Philip Hall at Grants Management Associates, Boston
Grant size: $5,000 - $40,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Boston

Charles Hayden Foundation
Contact: Mary Phillips at Grants Management Associates, Boston
Grant size: $15,000 - $225,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Waltham

Hyams Foundation
617-426-5600 Contact: Beth Smith
Grant size: $15,000 - $100,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Boston, Chelsea

Jane's Trust
617-227-7940 Contact: Rachel Pohl
Grant size: $50,000 - $1 million
Geographic area/restrictions: Massachusetts and four other states.

Mellon New England
617-722-7174 Contact: Lori Jackson
Grant size: $5,000 - $50,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Greater Boston

George H. and Jane A. Mifflin Memorial Fund
617-523-6531 Contact: Lawrence Coolidge
Grant size: $10,000 - $50,000
Geographic area/restrictions: MA; education

Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund
617-451-6178 Contact: Jo Anne Borek
Grant size: $25,000 - $100,000
Geographic area/restrictions: MA

Amelia Peabody Foundation
781-237-6468 Contact: Margaret St. Clair
Grant size: $2,5000 - $1,000,000
Geographic area/restrictions: MA; inner city youth organizations

Mabel Louise Riley Foundation
617-951-9100 Contact: Nancy Saunders
Grant size: $50,000 - $100,000
Geographic area/restrictions: MA, especially Greater Boston

Smith FamilyFoundation
617-278-5209 Contact: David Ford
Grant size: $20,000 - $2 million
Geographic area/restrictions: Greater Boston

State Street Foundation
617-664-3381 Contact: George Bowman
Grant size: $3,000 - $25,000
Geographic area/restrictions: Boston, Quincy, Suffolk County

National Foundations:

Rosie's For All Kids Foundation
P.O. Box 225
Allendale, NJ 07401 Grant size: Typically $5,000 - $15,000, but occasionally significantly larger
Geographic area/restrictions: National

Kresge Foundation
248-643-9630
3215 W. Big Beaver Road
Troy, Michigan 48007 Grant size: $150,000 - $600,000
Geographic area/restrictions: National; major facilities projects ($750K and higher) in a number of human services areas, including children/youth services; significant outside fundraising must be in place (20 - 50 percent of total cost)

Project Consultants:

The FUND can offer suggestions to providers who are looking for architects and other consultants with specific expertise in child care.  We often share the names and project experience of the architects, project managers, program quality consultants, and other consultants with whom we and our borrowers have worked with over the years.  Call us if you would like our help in finding an architect or other outside consultant to help with your project.

Equipment Suppliers:

Community Playthings
Product Line: Specializes in solid maple furniture and equipment.
Ages: infant, toddler, preschool & school-age

359 Gibson Hill Rd
Chester, NY 10918
Toll Free Phone Number: 1-800-777-4244

Catalogue Website: www.communityplaythings.com

Gressco Ltd.
Product line: Specializing in reading/library furniture, including book storage, book display, lofts, soft spaces.
Ages: All ages

328 Moravian Valley Road
Waunakee, WI 53597
Toll-free Phone Number: 1-800-345-3480

Catalogue Website: http://www.gresscoltd.com

Jonti-Craft, Inc.
Product line: Furniture and equipment in the following categories: children’s art, imagination toys, and playroom storage
Ages: Toddler and preschool

PO Box 30
Wabasso, MN 56293
Toll-free Telephone Number: 1-800-543-4149

Catalogue Website: http://www.jonti-craft.com

Kaplan (The Early Childhood Edition)
Product line: Extensive
Ages: All

P.O. Box 609
1310 Lewisville-Clemmons Road
Lewisville, NC 27023-0609
Toll Free Number: 1-800-334-2014

Catalogue Website: http://www.kaplanco.com

Lakeshore Learning Materials
Product Line: Equipment, toys and accessories for language, music, science, and dramatic play
Ages: All ages

2695 East Dominguez Street
Carson, CA 90749
Toll-free Phone Number: 1-800-421-5354

Catalogue Website: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com

SafeSpace Concepts, Inc.
Product Line: Soft indoor gross motor play equipment
Ages: Infants, toddlers and young preschool

1424 North Post Oak
Houston, TX 77055
Toll-free Phone Number: 1-800-622-4289

Catalogue Website: www.safespaceconcepts.com

To view photos of products, enter “contact us” area of website and scroll down to product list; select a product to view photo.

Torelli/Durrett, Inc. Childcare Furniture
Product Line: Small but choice line of lofts, risers, climbers, and other furniture and accessories
Ages: Infant, toddlers and preschool only

c/o Child Technologies, Inc.
4010 Calhoun Avenue
Chattanooga, TN 37407
Toll-free number to order catalogue:1-800-895-3121

(No catalogue website)

Web Links:

www.machildcare.com: Has all licensing regulations, plus wealth of other useful information for parents and providers in Massachusetts.

www.wellesley.edu/WCW/CRW/SAC : National Institute for Out of School Time (NIOST) web-site at Wellesley. Lots of information on school-age programs, both nationally and locally.

www.naeyc.org: Web-site for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Includes accreditation standards.

www.nafcc.org: Web-site for the National Association for Family Child Care. Includes accreditation standards for family child care providers.

www.agmconnect.org: Web-site for the Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts, including detailed information on Massachusetts foundations.

www.qualitychildcare.org: Web-site for the Massachusetts Office of Child Care Services.  Has licensing regulations, other useful resources and tips for both parents and providers.

www.ncfn.org: Web-site of the National Children's Facilities Network, of which the Children's Investment Fund is a member, as well as two dozen similar groups around the country.