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FY 2025 ECBG Communications Toolkit
Sample Newsletter/Email Copy

Subject: Apply for state funding to expand preschool

Pre-header: ISBE opens ECBG RFP to expand preschool

Apply now for state funding to expand access to preschool! The Illinois State Board of Education has launched the FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant Request for Proposals to expand access to preschool.

Illinois has a plan to make this the best state in the nation to raise a family. The plan starts with ensuring universal access to high-quality preschool. The inaugural year of the Smart Start Illinois initiative exceeded its goal by funding 5,866 new preschool seats last year. Year two will build on this success with the goal of awarding an additional $75 million in state funds to serve 5,000 more children statewide.

 
ISBE encourages providers in preschool deserts to apply for the fiscal year 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant by 4 p.m. May 16. Preschool deserts are areas throughout the state where low-income children lack sufficient access to publicly funded preschool (defined as areas that do not serve at least 80% of eligible 3-and 4-year-olds). Access to preschool provides an essential foundation for the trajectory of a child's well-being and academic outcomes. A wide range of providers are eligible to apply for funding to expand – from school districts, to child care centers, to community-based organizations.

All currently funded programs are extended through FY 2026 and do not need to apply unless they wish to expand their program to serve additional children. The number of programs awarded will be determined by the number of applications received and the amount of funds available, pending the FY 2025 state budget.

Access the RFP, technical assistance webinars, technical assistance office hours, and additional resources on the ISBE preschool webpage.

Together, we can eliminate preschool deserts in Illinois!​​

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​FY 2025 ECBG Communications Toolkit
Sample Talking Points ​

ELEVATOR PITCH

• The Illinois State Board of Education has launched the fiscal year 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant Request for Proposals. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. May 16. Access the RFP on ISBE's preschool webpage.
• Providers in preschool deserts across the state are invited to apply for funding to expand access to preschool.
• Illinois has a plan to make this the best state in the nation to raise a family. The plan starts with ensuring universal access to high-quality preschool.
• This is year two of Governor JB Pritzker's four-year Smart Start Illinois plan to completely eliminate preschool deserts in Illinois.
• The inaugural year of the Smart Start Illinois initiative exceeded its goal by funding 5,866 new preschool seats last year. Year two will build on this success with the goal of awarding an additional $75 million in state funds to serve 5,000 more children statewide.
• The application is open to a wide range of applicants outside of the City of Chicago. They can be public or private, for profit or nonprofit, as long as they have experience in early childhood education.
• Specifically, we're issuing a call to action to school districts, private schools and day cares, churches, and other community-based organizations to help close gaps in access to preschool by applying for funding. ​
  

What Help Is Available to Assist Applicants?

• Help is available to assist applicants!
• The Birth to Five Illinois Regional Team is available help entities throughout the application window to assist with accessing, understanding, and utilizing the preschool desert data in funding applications.
• ISBE also has technical assistance webinars and virtual technical assistance office hours.
• Access these and other resources on the ISBE preschool webpage. ​
  

What is a PRESCHOOL “desert"?

• Illinois ranks eighth in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's amazing!
• But there are still areas throughout the state where low-income children lack sufficient access to publicly funded preschool.
• A preschool desert is defined as an area that does not serve at least 80% of eligible 3-and 4-year-olds.
• See if you are located in a preschool desert by viewing the map on ISBE's ECBG Preschool Deserts webpage. ISBE has updated the map for FY 2025.​
  

Who Should Apply?

• All currently funded programs are extended through FY 2026 and do not need to apply unless they wish to expand their program to serve additional children.
• Chicago Public Schools receives 37% of the ECBG appropriation to fund early childhood services for children within the city of Chicago limits. CPS administers these funds locally, separately from ISBE's ECBG RFP. Providers within Chicago are not eligible to apply for ISBE's ECBG RFP.
• Eligible applicants outside of Chicago include:
• Public school districts
• Regional Offices of Education
• Charter schools
• Area vocational centers
• Nonprofit or for-profit organizations with experience in early childhood education
• Family childcare and family childcare group homes licensed by the Department of Child & Family Services applying in partnership with administrative agents from a Local Education Agency or another eligible applicant
• While any eligible applicant may apply, priority will be given to Preschool for All and Preschool for All - Expansion applicants that propose to offer services in early childhood deserts.​
  

What Programs Are Funded by the FY 2025 ECBG?

• Preschool for All – Half-day (2.5 hours per day), high-quality preschool for 3-5-year-olds with licensed teachers and standards-aligned curriculum 
• Preschool for All - Expansion – Full-day (five hours per day), high-quality preschool, along with comprehensive physical and mental health services designed to serve 3-5-year-olds in the highest-need communities 
• Prevention Initiative – Provides services for children and families prenatal to 3 years old in two program options: center-based care and home visiting.
• The FY 2025 RFP will fund only center-based prevention initiative services for children 6 weeks to 3 years of age in child care centers licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
• ISBE will utilize the remaining funding in Prevention Initiative to prioritize raising the base salary requirements of Home Visitors, Home Visitor Supervisors, Doulas, and Doula Supervisors to align with similar positions at The Department of Human Services.
• This is a first step in aligning home vising programs in our state. ​
  

What Are the Benefits of Preschool?

• Preschool sets the stage for lifelong growth and development.
• It provides an essential foundation for the trajectory of a child's well-being and academic outcomes.
• While all youngsters benefit from preschool, low-income and disadvantaged children often make the most gains.
• The data shows that Illinois schools do a fantastic job of educating students from kindergarten through high school, but by the time they start kindergarten, we already see gaps whether by income, race, or geography.
• Preschool is the best investment we can make in our children's future.
  

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​FY 2025 ECBG Communications Toolkit
Sample Social Media Copy

X:

1. Apply now for state funding to expand preschool! @ISBEnews has launched the Early Childhood Block Grant RFP for FY 2025. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. May 16. Apply here: www.isbe.net/preschool

2. Illinois has a plan to make this the best state in the nation to raise a family. The plan starts with ensuring universal access to high-quality preschool.

   Apply now for the @ISBEnews Early Childhood Block Grant to expand access to preschool. Apply here: www.isbe.net/preschool

3. The inaugural year of Smart Start Illinois increased access to preschool to 5,800+ children. Year two starts now with the goal of serving another 5,000+ children.

   Apply now for the @ISBEnews Early Childhood Block Grant to expand access to preschool: www.isbe.net/preschool

4. Smart Start Illinois is a plan to completely eliminate preschool deserts and ensure universal access to preschool across Illinois.

   Year one added 5,800+ preschool seats. Let's build on that success in year two. Apply for funding to expand preschool: www.isbe.net/preschool

5. What is a "preschool desert"? It's a place without enough preschool capacity to serve at least 80% of eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in the area. @ISBEnews has grants available to grow preschools in those areas.

   Existing and new programs -- apply today! www.isbe.net/preschool

6. Do you live in a preschool desert?

   189 places in Illinois do not have enough preschool capacity.

   Schools, churches, daycares, and other organizations can apply for funding from @ISBEnews to expand access to preschool. Learn more and apply here: www.isbe.net/preschool

7. Did you know that 189 places in Illinois are preschool deserts?

   Let's change that! Organizations that provide early childhood education services can apply for preschool funding here: www.isbe.net/preschool

8. Listen up... I just learned that _________ is a preschool desert. That means families do not have enough access to free, high-quality preschool.

   RT this.

   We need every provider in _________ to apply for the FY 2025 ECBG preschool funding from @ISBEnews: www.isbe.net/preschool

9. Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's amazing! But some areas still don't have enough preschool capacity to serve families in need. @ISBEnews has funding available to expand access in preschool deserts. Learn more at www.isbe.net/preschool

10. Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's amazing! But we want to be #1!

    Early childhood education providers, apply now for the FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grants from @ISBEnews to expand access in preschool deserts: www.isbe.net/preschool

11. Together, we can eliminate preschool deserts in Illinois.

    The FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grants from @ISBENews aims to serve 5,000+ more children in high-quality preschool programs across the state. Learn more here: www.isbe.net/preschool

12. RT this if you have ever struggled to find affordable preschool for your child.

    To make Illinois the best place to raise a family, @ISBEnews has grants available for early childhood education providers to expand access to preschool:
    www.isbe.net/preschool
    Help spread the word!

13. Need help with your FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant application? ISBE will host virtual technical assistance sessions:

    • 4-5 p.m. March 26
    • 10-11 a.m. April 10
    • 10:30-11:30 a.m. April 22
    • 9:30-10:30 a.m. May 3

    Learn more: www.isbe.net/preschool

14. Need help with your FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant application? ISBE will host virtual office hours:

    • 1:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. April 11
    • Noon – 1 p.m.  April 29

    Learn more: www.isbe.net/preschool

15. Help spread the word about the FY 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant!

    This funding opportunity for early childhood education providers will expand access to preschool in underserved areas.

    Raise awareness with communications toolkit from @ISBEnews: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ECBG-Communications-Toolkit.aspx ​
    

FACEBOOK

1. Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's pretty awesome! But we want to be #1! Some areas of the state still do not have enough preschool capacity to serve all families in need. We call these areas "preschool deserts." To turn them into preschool oases, @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has grants available to expand existing preschool programs and to launch new ones.

   Any early childhood education provider, including schools, churches, daycares, and other organizations, can apply! Proposals are due May 16. Learn how to apply, explore the map of preschool deserts, and access technical assistance here: www.isbe.net/preschool

2. Do you live in a "preschool desert"? It's a place that does not have enough preschool capacity to serve at least 80% of eligible children. The @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has grants available to turn those deserts into oases. It's part of our Smart Start Illinois plan to completely eliminate preschool deserts and ensure universal access to preschool statewide.

   Share this post to help spread this word about this funding opportunity for early childhood providers to grow their existing preschools and establish new ones!

   Explore the map of preschool deserts and access our communications toolkit to helps us raise awareness about this funding opportunity in your community: www.isbe.net/preschool.

3. 189 places in Illinois are preschool deserts. That means families do not have enough access to publicly funded, high-quality preschool.

   The 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant from the @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation aims to increase access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds across the state and fill critical gaps in underserved areas.

   Organizations with early childhood education experience, such as schools, daycares, churches, community centers, and more, can apply for funding to start or expand a preschool. And there's help available for new applicants!

   Share this post to help us spread the word in your community. Learn more and apply at www.isbe.net/preschool.

4. Share this post if you have ever struggled to find affordable preschool for your child.

   Did you know that 189 places in Illinois are preschool deserts? That means families there do not have enough access to publicly funded, high-quality preschool.

   To make Illinois the best place in the nation to raise a family, the @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has grants available to expand access to preschool programs, so more children can get a high-quality start to life.

   Together, we can eliminate preschool deserts. Share this post to help spread the word about these preschool grants. Providers can learn more and apply at www.isbe.net/preschool.

5. Illinois has a plan to make this the best state in the nation to raise a family. The plan starts with ensuring universal access to high-quality preschool.

   The first year of the Smart Start Illinois plan increased access to preschool to more than 5,800 additional children across the state. Let's build on that success in year two! The 2025 Early Childhood Block Grant from the @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has the goal of serving another 5,000+ children.

   Schools, churches, daycares, and other organizations with early childhood education experience can apply for funding to expand access to preschool.
   Like and share this post to help us spread the word! Providers can learn more, get technical assistance, and apply at www.isbe.net/preschool. ​
   

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