Current Opportunities
See below for open or upcoming opportunities for child care providers.
Receive Stipends for Your Professional Growth
Workforce Pathways LA - Stipend Program is an initiative of Workforce Pathways LA and Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) that provides early educators with stipends for achieving professional learning milestones such as attending California Department of Education (CDE) professional development, completing college courses, or obtaining a Child Development Permit. Applicants will select one professional growth pathway to achieve during the program on their application.
Eligibility: Early educators in LA County are eligible to apply for the program if they work directly with children in a child care center or family child care home where the majority of the children are subsidized by the California Department of Social Services/California Department of Education (CDSS/CDE).
Applications for the FY 2024-2025 program open on Monday, September 16, 2024 and must be submitted by Sunday, September 29, 2024.
To Apply:
1. Create a California Early Care and Education Workforce Registry profile. For instructions on how to register, use these "Creating a User Account" instructions or visit the Workforce Registry Resource Website. Need technical support? Call (323) 645-2631 or toll free (855) 645-0826.
2. Submit an application. Applications are submitted via the CA ECE Workforce Registry at www.caregistry.org. For instructions on how to apply, watch the "How to Apply for a Stipend" video.
For further questions contact Elizabeth Casprowitz (ecasprowitz@ph.lacounty.gov) or Claudia Valle (clvalle@ph.lacounty.gov) at Workforce Pathways LA.
Grow Your Child Care Business’s Online Presence With Digital50
Digital Skills LA is now accepting applications for the first cohort of the Digital50 program, where 50 small and microbusinesses will be chosen to receive one-on-one coaching on strengthening their digital presence. Digital50 will support businesses to improve their website, online marketing, and social media strategy. The coaching may cover topics like search engine optimization, setting up accounts on key platforms, and tailored strategies to improve digital presence.
Find out how you can improve your child care program’s website and social media posts to increase enrollment and awareness of your program. Learn more and apply on LA County’s Shop Local website.
Begin Your Child Care Career through Ready2Teach
Are you interested in becoming a child care professional? The Los Angeles Education Partnership (LAEP) has announced an upcoming cohort for its Ready2Teach program, which provides the coursework and training to help
jumpstart a career in child care. Ready2Teach is a 12-month program that offers paid internships, free college coursework, and professional development training. Apprenticeship sites are based in Hawthorne, Inglewood, and South Los Angeles.
At the end of this program, participants will earn a California Child Development Associate Teacher permit. Visit the Ready2Teach website to learn more and submit an interest form. Interested individuals may also contact Laura Ramirez at (213) 582-8963 or lramirez@laep.org for more information.
Support Your Staff Through Paid Family Leave
California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program is currently accepting applications from small businesses for grants up to $2,000 per employee taking paid family leave. The program is intended to help small businesses pay for costs that occur when employees take leave, including hiring and training to cover the employee’s absence. To be eligible, small businesses must have between 1 and 100 employees and at least one employee using PFL on or after June 1, 2024. The grant period will be from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2026, or until funds run out.
To find more information and apply, visit the Paid Family Leave website.
Equip Your Child Care Business to Succeed with LApreneur
The Mayor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and the Economic and Workforce Development Department have partnered to launch LApreneur, a free, 14-week program for aspiring and current business owners to access entrepreneurship education, one-on-one assistance, networking, and more. LApreneur is open to City of Los Angeles residents and individuals with businesses in the City. Learn more on the EWDD website and submit your interest for the 2024-2025 cohort here.
Get Free Support for Your Child Care Business
The City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department’s BusinessSource Centers offer free services to Angeleno business owners and entrepreneurs to help small businesses succeed. Services and programs include one-on-one consultations, trainings, and information on accessing capital. Services are available in Spanish, Armenian, French, Korean, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese, depending on the location. Find a BusinessSource Center near you on the EWDD website.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) includes the Office of Small Business, which also offers programs and services to help small business owners and entrepreneurs succeed. Check out DEO’s newly launched Economic Mobility Initiative, a hub offering free individualized support for LA County small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. The hub features over a dozen community-based organizations to connect visitors to services and resources including technical assistance, training, and access to capital. Learn more about the Economic Mobility Initiative here.
Repair Storm Damage with the SBA Disaster Loan Program
If you or your business were affected by recent severe weather, the Small Business Administration (SBA) can help. Federal SBA disaster loans up to $2 million are available for businesses and private nonprofits to repair or replace damaged real estate or equipment. Additional funds are also available for improvements to prevent and minimize future disaster damage.
SBA disaster loans up to $500,000 are also available for homeowners repairing damaged real estate. Up to $100,000 is available for homeowners and renters repairing damaged personal property, including vehicles.
Apply for property damage by July 16, 2024, and for economic injury by February 18, 2025. To learn more and apply, visit SBA’s website. Interested individuals may also contact the SBA at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Explore the World of Business Grants with PACE
The Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) offers a monthly workshop for business owners to learn about upcoming business grants. The workshops, which focus on opportunities for businesses owned by women and people of color, cover topics like grant types, current opportunities, and qualities of successful applications.
Upcoming webinars will be held on:
- August 20, 2024 @ 1:00pm
- September 17, 2024 @ 1:00pm
Visit PACE’s website today and register for the webinars here.
Email CEspiritu@pacela.org for more information.
Get Business Support through the Legacy Business Program
The City of Los Angeles is proud to launch the Legacy Business Program, an ongoing initiative to support the visibility and sustainability of long-standing Legacy Businesses with tangible benefits such as technical assistance, promotional support, and access to grants and loans. A “Legacy Business” is defined as a business open to the public that has been in operation in the same community for 20 or more years.
To register as a City of LA Legacy Business, visit the LA Legacy Business Program website. To find more information, including application links, eligibility criteria, and informational webinars, visit the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) website.
The Legacy Business Recovery Grant Program is now accepting applications from registered Legacy Businesses for grants up to $20,000 to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will remain open from August 5 to September 15, 2024. Another round of applications will open in the fall. For more information on the grant and to apply, visit here.
The Legacy Business Program is brought to you by the Los Angeles City Council, Mayor Karen Bass, and the EWDD.
Support Young Dual Language Learners through Free QSLA Resources
First 5 LA and Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA) have launched “Two Languages, Twice The Opportunities,” a campaign to increase awareness about the importance of multilingualism in children. Helping children learn their home language supports greater awareness of their culture, creates more meaningful connections with friends and family, and helps them enter kindergarten ready to succeed. Being multilingual can lead to improved academic, social, financial, and career outcomes.
Learn how to create impactful learning opportunities for dual language learners in your early learning program here.
You can also point families to resources that support their dual language learner on the QSLA website in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Armenian, Khmer, and Korean. QSLA also has online bilingual brochures on the “Two Languages” campaign for sharing with families. Each brochure is available in English and one of six additional languages. Check them out here: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Armenian, Korean, Khmer.
LA County Releases New Infant/Toddler Toolkit for Child Care Providers
The Los Angeles County Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education (OAECE), in collaboration with Public Counsel, has released Child Care for All: Information for Child Care Providers on Expanding Infant and Toddler Care in Los Angeles County. The free toolkit guides family child care homes and community-based child care centers on how to serve more infants and toddlers. The online resource reviews topics including staffing ratios, making changes to physical space, and business model considerations.
The toolkit is available in English, Armenian, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Spanish. A recorded webinar on expanding child care programs to serve more infants and toddlers is also available online in English and Spanish. These resources, as well as upcoming trainings and free professional development opportunities, can also be found on the OAECE website.
CDTC Offering Stipend to Cover Child Development Permit Application Fee
The Child Development Training Consortium (CDTC), which provides services and support to students and professionals working with young children, offers a Permit Stipend Program that covers the child development permit application fee for eligible applicants. Covered application fees include those for first time permits, permit upgrades, and renewals.
Learn more about the program in English or Spanish and find information on upcoming virtual trainings on the CDTC website. Visit here to apply.
Health Care and Training Benefits for Providers
Child Care Providers United (CCPU) is a union of over 40,000 home-based (family child care and family, friend, and neighbor care) child care providers in California working in partnership with parents, early childhood education advocates and state legislators to fix the state’s child care crisis and improve the profession and the quality of care. Their 2023 contract with the State includes a first-in-the-nation retirement fund, health care reimbursement fund and professional development opportunities for providers.
Health Care Reimbursement
CCPU’s Health Care Reimbursement Fund has $100 million to help home-based child care providers pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses including prescription drugs, co-pays, deductibles and monthly premiums. Eligible providers must be enrolled in a qualifying health insurance plan and be serving at least one child receiving child care subsidies. Click here to apply and find contact information or review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to learn more.
Development Opportunities
CCPU’s Training Fund provides tuition assistance (up to $5,000 each year) and high-quality workshops that support home-based child care providers in pursuing ongoing education and professional development. Opportunities also include a paid peer-to-peer mentorship program. Eligible providers must serve at least one child receiving child care subsidies. Click here to learn more about the Training Fund and register for learning opportunities.
Become an Associate Teacher through UCLAExtension
Earn an Early Childhood Education-Associate Teacher Certificate at low or no cost through the UCLAxCareerBridge Initiative! The ECE Associate Teacher Program prepares individuals to become an Associate Teacher in a preschool
or child care setting for children ages 0–5. After completing this 12-month, part-time program, participants will be eligible to apply for an Associate Teacher Child Development Permit through the State of CA. The first cohort will be offered fully in Spanish for Spanish-speaking students.
To qualify for the program, you must:
- Be a resident of the State of California.
- Meet the minimum qualifications: High school diploma/GED, eligibility to work in the U.S., and comfort with basic computer functions.
- Attend an information session and the student orientation.
- Complete the prerequisite course.
Those with financial need will be given priority. For more information, including about financial assistance, visit here. You can also email careerbridge@uclaextension.edu or call (310) 206-2560. To learn about other state and local stipends for ECE courses, visit here.
Get Free Virtual Behavioral Health Services Today!
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has launched the Behavioral Health Virtual Services Platform, which offers free web- and app-based behavioral health services, including care navigation, moderated peer communities, and crisis and safety resources. The platform has two web- and app-based applications: Brightlife Kids, for parents or caregivers of children ages 0-12, and Soluna, for teens and young adults ages 13-25.
Brightlife Kids offers behavioral health coaching for parents, caregivers, and kids. Learn how to build non-verbal communication skills, navigate milestones, teach toddlers how to share, manage separation anxiety, and more.
Services are cost-free and do not require insurance or referrals. To learn more and download the app, visit CalHOPE.
Get Free Business Support Through the Open Air Economy Collaborative!
The Open Air Economy Collaborative provides holistic business supports such as micro-loans, business coaching, legal assistance, and financial education to Black and Latina women micro-entrepreneurs working to formalize and sustain their small businesses in Los Angeles. These integrated services support micro-entrepreneurs, like family child care providers, to build and grow strong businesses.
To learn more about the Open Air Collaborative, visit their website.
Complete the Survey
To apply for services, fill out a confidential, 10-15 minute survey.