The ECE Recruitment and Retention Grant is an initiative to recruit and retain Level I to Level IV certified Early Childhood Educators. The grant includes a commitment for recipients to work in a regulated child care service in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) will provide the ECE Recruitment and Retention Grant to those who qualify in conjunction with the child care services certification application process and who meet the requirements as per the Department of Education’s policies. The grant is in effect as of September 1, 2023, therefore if your renewal date for Level I certification or higher was September 1, 2023, or you renewed for a subsequent month you are able to apply for the grant, this also applies for those who submitted an Initial Application in the month of September 2023 that was awarded Level 1 certification or higher.

Grant Amount:

Applicants are eligible to receive a maximum of $2,500 for initial and each three-year renewal of AECENL Level I to IV Child Care Services Certification, up to total amount of $7,500.

The ECE Recruitment and Retention Grant policies and eligibility requirements can be obtained at Department of Education website and on the AECENL website https://www.aecenl.ca/index.php/bursariesgrants

ECE Trainee Bursary

The ECE Trainee Bursary is designed to support early childhood educators who are working in a licensed child care centre or regulated family child care and are taking Early Childhood Education courses online from a provincially recognized college/university to upgrade their valid Trainee Level Certification to Level I Certification. The Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) will continue to assess the ECE Trainee Bursary and will also be issuing the payment of the bursary as well, therefore both new applicants and past applicants will initially need to submit the required financial information to receive the bursary payment.

AECENL will provide the ECE Trainee Bursary to those who qualify as per the Department of Education’s policies.

Bursary Amount:

Those who hold Trainee Level Certification and are working in a regulated child care setting can be eligible to receive $250 for each successfully completed online ECE post-secondary course towards their ECE Certificate and upgrading to Level I Certification.

ECE Trainee Bursary Program policies and eligibility requirements can be obtained at Department of Education website and on the AECENL website https://www.aecenl.ca/index.php/bursariesgrants

ECE Graduate Bursary

Important Notice: The ECE Graduate Bursary Program will end on June 30, 2024
The ECE Graduate Bursary Program is to assist Early Childhood Educators who have obtained a diploma in ECE through a recognized post-secondary institution in Newfoundland and Labrador. Bursaries are available to graduates who meet the criteria set by the Department of Education. In return, bursary recipients must commit to work in a regulated child care service in this province for three years after graduation. The Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) has taken over both the assessment and processing of the ECE Graduate Bursary from the Department of Education.
 
ECEs who previously received the ECE Graduate Bursary through the Department of Education will continue to maintain their Return of Service Agreement with the Department of Education. Anyone new applying for the ECE Graduate Bursary will have their Return of Service Agreement with AECENL.

Bursary Amount:

The eligible bursary amount is up to $7,500 to graduates of an ECE Diploma program from a provincially recognized Post-Secondary Institution (graduate on or before June 30, 2024). Funding received under the ECE Trainee Bursary Program (ELCD-BUR-002) will be deducted from the total eligible amount of the ECE Graduate Bursary Program. Applications and the required documentation must be submitted within six months of graduation (graduate on or before June 30, 2024).
 
ECE Graduate Bursary Program policies, application and eligibility requirements can be obtained at Department of Education website and on the AECENL website https://www.aecenl.ca/index.php/bursariesgrants

ECE On-Campus Field Placement Bursary

The ECE On-Campus Field Placement Bursary is to help reduce financial barriers by providing assistance to ECE students who have successfully completed a required on-campus field placement at a College of the North Atlantic (CNA) campus as a part of the ECE distance education program. The Association of Early Childhood Educators Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) has taken over both the assessment and processing of the ECE On-Campus Field Placement Bursary from the Department of Education. AECENL will provide the ECE On-Campus Field Placement Bursary to those who qualify as per the policies outlined by the Department of Education.

Bursary Amount:

The eligible bursary amount is $835 per week, up to $2,500 in total to ECE students who are required to attend the on-campus field placement and are enrolled in distance or online delivery of the ECE Program at CNA. Applications must be submitted within six months of successful completion of each field placement.

The ECE On-Campus Field Placement Bursary Program policies, application form and eligibility requirements can be obtained at the Department of Education website and on the AECENL website https://www.aecenl.ca/index.php/bursariesgrants

 If you have questions regarding the bursaries and new grant, please contact the Financial Administrator at (709) 726-3044 or at ecebursary@ecebursary@aecenl.caaecenl.ca.