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children eating at a table with one boy smiling toward camera

CIRCLE Grants

The Need 

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency led to wide-ranging systemic challenges for early care and learning providers, many of whom were already struggling to provide quality care to families while operating on tight margins. In the first few months of pandemic-related shutdowns, child care enrollment dropped by half, nearly a quarter of the early childhood workforce had been laid off or furloughed and 10% of providers had closed entirely. Innovative, community-specific strategies were essential to helping the industry recover from the impact of the pandemic and achieve sustainable growth beyond recovery. 

The Strategy

The Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grant program provided $22.5 million to child care providers and other community, education and government partners to pursue innovative solutions to challenges worsened by the pandemic. The grants focused on making child care more affordable, addressing gaps in infant and toddler care, supporting provider financial stability, enhancing workforce preparation, and promoting the healthy development of all children. 

The CIRCLE grant program was facilitated by Early Milestones Colorado, which provided support to grantees in implementing solutions that prioritized supports for children with special needs; dual-language learners; and diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The program awarded 226 grants to 218 unique grantees, including early care and education providers, statewide and local nonprofit organizations, early childhood councils, institutions of higher education, school districts and local government entities. The grants had a duration of six to nine months and concluded in June of 2023. 

Key Outcomes and Learnings 

Via CIRCLE Grants, CDEC built a network of grantees, empowered communities to be creative in addressing their systemic challenges in early childhood and formed closer relationships with community programs. There is opportunity to leverage these highly engaged partners on existing stakeholder advisory groups. 

In total, CIRCLE-supported projects reached more than 120,000 parents or caregivers and 75,000 children from birth to age five. 

Grants Awarded by Organization Type: 

  • 120 grants to early care and education providers 
  • 72 grants to not-for-profits organizations 
  • 3 grants to local governmental entities 
  • 20 grants to local early childhood councils 
  • 11 grants to institutions of higher education 

Grantee Projects by Geographic Service Area: 

  • Rural & Frontier: 29% (65 projects) 
  • Non-Denver Urban: 18% (40 projects) 
  • Denver Metro: 40% (90 projects) 
  • Statewide: 14% (40 projects)

green gear labeled access and quality

Funding

Amount: $22,500,000

Sources: 

  • American Rescue Plan Stabilization 
  • Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) 

Expiration: September 30, 2023

Evidence Brief

"Community Innovation and Resilience for Care and Learning Equity (CIRCLE) Grants" 

Marzano Research 

(September 2023) 

READ THE BRIEF

A full report on CIRCLE Grants is available in English and Spanish. Appendices can be found here.

report cover image for CIRCLE grants evidence brief

colorado map depicting counties with at least one grantee that exclusively serves the selected county
This map shows counties who had at least one grantee who exclusively represents their county be approved to receive CIRCLE Grant funding. This map is updated on a quarterly basis and reflects data as of the date of generation. Data is subject to change.

colorado map depicting counties served by grantees
This map shows counties who had at least one grantee who represents their county in combination with other counties be approved to receive CIRCLE Grant funding. This map is updated on a quarterly basis and reflects data as of the date of generation. Data