Early Childhood Family Education Teacher Shortage Grant

An eligible applicant must meet all of the following:

• Minnesota postsecondary institution; and
• Offer a PELSB-Approved teacher preparation program that leads to one of the following teacher licenses (initial license, additional license, or endorsement):
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Parent and Family Education
  • Preprimary Education
  • Special Education: Early Childhood

Students are eligible to directly benefit from grant funds if they meet all of the following:

• Enrolled, as a regular student, in an eligible postsecondary institution who has applied for and received a grant from this program
• Enrolled in a PELSB-Approved teacher preparation program that leads to one of the following teacher licenses (initial license, additional license, or endorsement):
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Parent and Family Education
  • Preprimary Education
  • Special Education: Early Childhood

Grantees may use funds for the following eligible services and expenses:

• Personnel Costs
• Tuition and Fees Relief
• Direct Student Supports
• Other Student Supports
• Marketing and Communication

The maximum allowable request per postsecondary institution is $250,000.

April 6, 2026: Request for Proposal posted on OHE website and available in application portal at: https://applicationportal.ohe.mn.gov/Competitive-Grant-Applications/ 

April 27, 2026 (12:00 p.m. CT): Deadline for submitting technical questions

May 8, 2026 (4:00 p.m. CT): Proposal submission deadline

May 29, 2026: Award notices sent to applicants
 

2026 ECFE Teacher Shortage Request for Proposal

Proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. CT on May 8, 2026 through the application portal at: https://applicationportal.ohe.mn.gov/Competitive-Grant-Applications/

April 20, 2026 (12:00 p.m. CT) is the deadline for submitting technical questions. Answers to technical questions will be posted here and updated weekly until the deadline.

ECFE TS 2026-2027 RFP

Technical Questions

Q: Are postsecondary institutions with transfer programs aligned with eligible PELSB-approved teacher preparation programs eligible to apply?

A: No. Only Minnesota postsecondary institutions that offer PELSB-Approved teacher preparation programs that lead to one of the following teacher licenses (initial license, additional license, or endorsement) are eligible:

• Early Childhood Education
• Parent and Family Education
• Preprimary Education
• Special Education: Early Childhood

Q: Are students or potential students eligible to apply?

A: No. Only eligible postsecondary institutions are eligible to apply.

Q: Do you anticipate the MN Office of Higher Education will have subsequent ECFE Teacher Shortage grants?

A: The program’s funding was included in the “tails” of the Minnesota Department of Education’s 2026–2027 budget as a transfer to the Office of Higher Education. This means the legislature signaled its intent to continue funding the program in future years and did not designate the funding as one-time. However, the legislature must still pass the 2028-2029 budget and the Governor must sign it into law during the 2027 legislative session, which will determine whether the program’s funding continues.

• Minnesota State University Moorhead
  • Project Title: Elevate ECSE: Empowering Students, Families and Educators through Early Childhood Special Education Licensing
• University of St. Thomas 
  • Project Title: Supporting Culturally Sustaining Family Education for Early Childhood Special Education Teachers
• University of Minnesota
  • Project Title: University of Minnesota - Parent and Early Childhood Education Teacher Shortage Scholarship program