BCSF, Amica Launch $50K Grants for Early Childhood Education in New England

The Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation (BCSF) and Amica Companies Foundation have expanded their community investment portfolio by launching the BCSF Game Changers Early Education Grant program.

According to a Ministry of Sport report, the goal of the new endeavor is to elevate high-quality learning environments for children ages 5 and younger in under-resourced New England communities.

In its first year, two grants of $50,000 each will support infrastructure and capacity-building projects. These initiatives include health and safety repairs, reconfiguring spaces to increase capacity, and developing new facilities by constructing or rehabilitating vacant properties.

According to the Ministry of Sport, the program strengthens the Celtics-Amica partnership, following a recent groundbreaking for a major early education center in Providence's Manton Heights.

Program administration is handled in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) through the Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund (RICCELFF) to ensure effective capital use.

As the Ministry of Sport report noted, applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) public charities capable of starting projects within six months. The selection criteria will focus on four areas: expanding access, supporting school readiness, boosting family engagement, and strengthening the early childhood education workforce.

Applications must be submitted through the LISC portal by April 15, including a detailed narrative and site-specific plans. Following this deadline, LISC officials will perform due diligence and site visits before BCSF and Amica finalize the grant recipients.

Projects are expected to be completed within one to two years after funds are disbursed. A single upfront advance will be provided to the grant recipients upon execution of the agreement.

More information is available on the RICCELFF website.