Tuition Assistance Information

Tuition Assistance Options in Grand & Jackson Counties

It costs a lot to provide high-quality child care and this can sometimes lead to child care tuition costs that are difficult for families to afford. If you need assistance paying for child care, there are a few local resources available to help:

Colorado Universal Preschool Program (UPP)

What is UPP?

The Colorado Universal Preschool Program, or UPP (also known as UPK), is a universal statewide voluntary program that helps families access high-quality preschool programs. The program provides 15 hours of funded tuition at a high-quality preschool program per week during the school year for a child in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten.

Access more detailed information on the Colorado UPK Website.

UPK Eligibility

All children in Colorado are eligible to apply for up to 15 hours per week of free, high-quality preschool in their year before kindergarten through Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program (UPP).

Families may qualify for more free hours based on a set of qualifying factors (For more information: bit.ly/QualifyingFactors). Depending on the provider, families may also have the option of privately paying for additional hours if desired.
3 year olds with qualifying factors should contact their school district for preschool services.

How can I sign my child up for UPK?

UPK sign up looks a little different in our community. To apply for UPP funding, visit https://upk.colorado.gov/. Submitting the application for UPP funding will not automatically put you in direct contact with the selected provider(s) or ensure space in a given program.

Because of this, we strongly encourage reaching out to providers directly in addition to completing the UPP application. For any questions regarding Colorado’s UPP program, please email upp@grandbeginnings.org.

Is there a guide for this?

YES! Click the image below to access the UPP Family or Provider Handbooks. These guides go over eligibility, the UPP application process, and why preschool is so important for early learning.

Family Handbook

Provider Handbook

All licensed child care centers in Grand and Jackson Counties participate in UPK!

Contact the director of your child’s child care program for more information on individual program policies for tuition assistance, availability, and the overall cost of tuition.

Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) provides financial assistance for child care to low-income families who are working, searching for employment, or in employment training. Families enrolled in the Colorado Works Program / Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and need childcare services to support their efforts toward self- sufficiency are also eligible. To learn more and/or apply to CCCAP click here.

Grand County Community Tuition Assistance Program

The Community Tuition Assistance Program (CTAP) is a grant- and donation-funded program administered by Grand Beginnings. This program provides financial assistance for licensed child care to families in Grand and Jackson Counties that earn too much to be eligible for CCCAP but still struggle to afford tuition costs in our high cost of living area (serves families on a sliding scale up to 500% FPL). To learn more and/or apply to CTAP, please reach out to the child care provider where your child is enrolled or will be enrolling.