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Administration for Children and Families - OHS · Department of Health and Human Services

Early Head Start Expansion and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Grants in Multiple States

Opening soon

Key facts

Deadline
Opens Oct 14, 2026 · due about Dec 15, 2026 Estimate, not confirmed by the funder ?
Award size
$1.2M – $5M
Total available
$9.6M · about 4 awards
Match ?
Required · Work out your budget and match
Who can apply
Nonprofit with 501(c)(3), City or town government, Tribal government, Small business, State government, Public college or university, School district, County government, Private college or university, Larger business, Nonprofit without 501(c)(3), and others named in the official notice
Where
Check the official notice for location limits

Opening soon: the funder has announced this grant, but you can't apply yet. Use the time to get ready and check whether it fits.

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. Registration is free but can take weeks, so start now, not when the deadline is close. Get-ready checklist

How this fits you

  • Location limits unclear — check eligibility
  • Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
  • Past Tennessee awards on file: 98

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

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More from Administration for Children and Families - OHS

About this grant

This forecast has been modified to update the Estimated Total Funding and the states where a funding opportunity is available. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS), announces a competitive notice of funding opportunity to provide high-quality, comprehensive services to pregnant women, low-income infants and toddlers and their families through the expansion of Early Head Start services or through Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnerships. This funding opportunity advances ACF's mission to promote the economic and social well-being of children, families, and communities, and reflects OHS's commitment to expanding access to high-quality, comprehensive early childhood services that strengthen family stability and community prosperity. Approximately $9.6 million in federal funding will be awarded in multiple communities in AR, GA, and NC. These service areas are subject to change until a Notice of Funding Opportunity is published. Applicants may also email the OHS Operations Center at OHSgrants@koniag-gs.com for additional information.

Who can apply, from the official notice

Eligible applicants are any public or private non-profit agencies, including community-based and faith-based organizations, or for-profit agencies pursuant to section 645A(d) of the Head Start Act, 42 U.S.C. 9840A(d).Eligibility is limited to public or private non-profit organizations, including faith-based organizations or for-profit organizations that can provide Early Head Start services to children and families.Entities operating Head Start programs are eligible to operate Early Head Start programs. Individuals, sole proprietorships, and foreign entities are not eligible to apply. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible for awards under this funding opportunity.

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Who in Tennessee has won this program

58 awards to Tennessee groups in 22 counties since 2014. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee winners
Past winnerWhereAmountFiscal year
Shelby County Board of EducationMemphis, Shelby County$139.2M2019
Shelby County Board of EducationMemphis, Shelby County$113.5M2014
Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson CountyNashville, Davidson County$76.8M2020
North West Tennessee Economic Development CouncilDresden, Weakley County$68M2016
Upper East Tennessee Human Development Agency, Inc.Kingsport, Sullivan County$65.8M2019
Porter-LeathMemphis, Shelby County$65.7M2025
Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson CountyNashville, Davidson County$65.6M2015
North West Tennessee Economic Development CouncilDresden, Weakley County$64.1M2021
Knoxville Knox County Community Action CommitteeKnoxville, Knox County$60.1M2019
South Central Human Resource Agency, Inc.Fayetteville, Lincoln County$59.6M2018
Family Resource Agency IncCleveland, Bradley County$58.5M2015
Family Resource Agency IncCleveland, Bradley County$56M2021

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization

This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. In Tennessee, Tennessee Department of Education and Tennessee Department of Health and Tennessee Department of Human Services pass it on: watch those agencies for applications, not the federal agency. 40 pass-through grants on file. Largest shown:

Tennessee pass-through grant winners
Past winnerWhereThroughAmountFiscal year
Southwest Human Resource AgencyHenderson, Chester CountyTennessee Department of Human Services$8.5M spent that year2024
Carter County, TennesseeElizabethton, Carter CountyUpper East Tennessee Human Development Agency$1.3M spent that year2025
Oak Ridge SchoolsOak Ridge, Anderson CountyAnderson County, TN$1.1M spent that year2025
Oak Ridge SchoolsOak Ridge, Anderson CountyAnderson County, TN$1.1M spent that year2024
Oak Ridge SchoolsOak Ridge, Anderson CountyAnderson County$966K spent that year2023
Johnson County, TennesseeMountain City, Johnson CountyUpper East Tennessee Human Development Agency$728K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyZero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families$704K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyZero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families$700K2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleZero to Three$585K spent that year2025
State of TennesseeNashvillePorter-Leath Children's Center$499K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyZero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers & Families$479K2023
State of TennesseeNashvillePorter-Leath Childrens Center$476K spent that year2023

Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).

About the federal program

Head Start
Program number 93.600 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families · Project grant, direct payment for a set purpose

How applications are judged

In each year's official notice: read this year's.

Match

Recipients are required to meet a 20% non-federal share match requirement under section 640(b) of the Head Start Act. However, programs can request to waive the non-federal share match, if necessary. Per, 45 CFR 1303.44(c), non-federal share associated with facilities activities becomes part of the federal share of the facility

This program on SAM.gov

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Source: Federal grants from Grants.gov · the official federal record. Last checked by GrantMe Oct 8, 2026.

Reference numbers: official notice number HHS-2027-ACF-OHS-CH-0125 · program number 93.600