The Curtis Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation Expands Scholarship for Early Childhood Educators

The Curtis Fund, a supporting organization of the Vermont Community Foundation, in partnership with the Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children, is pleased to announce an expansion of our scholarship program for Vermonters seeking to become early childhood educators. The Curtis Fund Commitment: A Comprehensive Scholarship for Early Childhood Educators is a pilot program that provides scholarships for the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, and a stipend of up to $12,000 that can be used for housing, food, and transportation) to students who wish to earn a childcare certificate at the Community College of Vermont (CCV).

“We are excited to extend eligibility for this program to adults who already are working in childcare and wish to earn a certificate,” said Shana Trombley, executive director of The Curtis Fund.  “It is our hope that by covering the full cost of attendance we can help more early childhood educators earn their certificate, efficiently and debt-free.” Scholarships also are available to adults interested in making a career transition into early childhood education.

“The high cost of educating early childhood educators and the low wages they earn upon graduation causes significant problems for Vermont families and employers alike,” said Amy Mellencamp, president of The Curtis Fund’s Board of Directors. “Yet our society and economy are dependent upon the availability of child care workers.”

Childcare certificate graduates must complete a 24-hour credit program and obtain one year of classroom experience to qualify as a Teacher Associate. According to Let’s Grow Kids, another supporting organization of the Community Foundation, Teacher Associates could fill an estimated 1,600 of the 2,090 openings for early childhood educators in Vermont.

“We know it’s going to take all of us working together to solve the child care challenge,” said CCV President Joyce Judy. “We are pleased to partner with The Curtis Fund and VTAEYC to expand access to this program and continue our efforts to strengthen the child care workforce and support working families.”

For more information about The Curtis Fund Commitment: A Comprehensive Scholarship for Early Childhood Educators and to learn how to apply, please contact:

PreApprenticeship@vtaeyc.org or call (802) 234-1090 Ext. 1.

The Curtis Fund and VTAEYC will host two virtual information sessions on August 15^th, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. and again on August 16^th at 6:00 p.m. To sign up please visit; https://www.vtaeyc.org/events/. Applications are due by August 20, 2023.