Funding
Funding is available to our community through a variety of grant and partnership opportunities.Funding Opportunities
First 5 Shasta aims to invest in efforts that will have the most effective and positive impact on children and our community. The three goals of our Strategic Plan are used to guide our investment in early childhood. From a healthy pregnancy to a child’s eager entry into kindergarten, we’re making strategic and innovative use of all First 5 Shasta resources to make a lasting difference in the lives of children.
Grant Information
The following grants are available during specific times during the fiscal year. Sign up for our mailing list to be informed when these and other opportunities become available. Sign Up Here
Goal Specific Projects
Good Neighbor Grants (Coming January 2026)
Week of the Young Child (Coming Winter 2025)
If your project does not fit into an existing funding category, we’d love to hear from you. Please send an email to grants@first5shasta.org to connect with our grant coordinator.
First 5 Shasta is excited to announce three upcoming grant opportunities designed to support early childhood educators and strengthen the ECE workforce through leadership, collaboration, and community-driven action.
We invite you to join our RFA Webinar to learn more about each opportunity, key eligibility details, timelines, and how to apply. The session will also include time for Q&A with First 5 Shasta staff.
Webinar Date: January 5th, 2026
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Zoom, Register Here!
About the Grant Opportunities:
Community Advocacy Action Fund
Supports grassroots, provider-led advocacy projects that elevate the voices of early childhood educators and families.
- Grant range: $1,000–$2,500 (up to $5,000 for collaborations)
- Focus areas include:
- Elevating Provider Voices
- Policy & Systems Advocacy
- Community Awareness & Engagement
- Family-Provider Partnerships
PVCA Leadership & Advocacy Cohort 2.
An 8-month hybrid training series (April–December 2026) preparing early educators to lead and influence change in local and state systems.
- Participants receive up to $800 in stipends
- Includes 5 total trainings with hybrid (virtual/in-person) participation
- Builds advocacy, leadership, and policy engagement skills
Advocacy Professional Development Grants
Provides up to $2,000 (including travel stipends) for ECE professionals to attend advocacy-related workshops, conferences, or trainings that advance their professional growth and leadership in the field.
Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan 2019-2024 was developed after examination of local needs and determination of most effective methods for allocating First 5 Shasta resources to achieve desired results.Proposition 10 contains a requirement for county commissions to adopt a strategic plan “for the support and improvement of early childhood development in the county. First 5 Shasta engaged in a process throughout 2018 in partnership with a workgroup that included First 5 Shasta staff, Commission members, and individuals from the community and grantee organizations to develop the 2019-2024 strategic plan. The First 5 Shasta Commission has approved an extension of the strategic plan through 2026.
Funding Policies
Learn about our policies applicable to all First 5 Shasta categories of grant funding.First 5 Shasta follows a set of policies to ensure the effective distribution of funds into our community. Read each of our policies to ensure your application meets our criteria for funding.