ERDC Enhanced Rate Program (ERP)
Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) is a subsidy program that pays part of the child care costs for families who are working, in school or receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) including registration fees. If a parent is eligible for assistance, the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) will pay a portion of their child care bill directly to the family’s chosen child care provider through the Direct Pay Unit (DPU). Providers listed with Oregon DELC and caring for children of ERDC assisted families can receive a higher rate of pay by meeting certain training standards. The ERDC Enhanced Rate Program certifies providers who meet these standards.
Apply online or with the application:
To find, sign up and/or get assistance with training sessions available in your area, please contact Central Coordination of Child Care Resource & Referral (CCCCR&R) via email at ccrr@wou.edu or call 800-342-6712 to find your local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) program.
For help with rates and payments, please contact the DELC Direct Pay Unit at 800-699-9074.
Scholarships
Oregon’s Family Child Care Scholarship
Oregon’s Family Child Care Scholarship supports professional development for Oregon’s Registered Family and Certified Family Child Care Providers. If you are the Provider named on an Oregon Registered Family or Certified Family Child Care license, you may be eligible for scholarships to help pay for the following professional development opportunities.
College Coursework: For-credit coursework in the field of childhood care and education, through regionally or nationally accredited colleges.
Training: Training approved by the Oregon Registry Trainer Program as Set Two or Set Three and offered by an Oregon Registry Trainer Program registered Sponsoring Organization.
Conference: Conferences held in Oregon and sponsored by an Oregon Registry Trainer Program registered Sponsoring Organization, and out-of-state conferences sponsored by the NAEYC, a regional NAEYC Affiliate, or the NAFCC and their state affiliates.
Credential, Endorsement, Accreditation: CDA credential initial application fee (includes the exam), ORIMHA ECMH-E ® and IMH-E ® endorsement application and first year membership fees for Infant Family Associate and Infant Family Specialist, and NAFCC accreditation and membership fees.
Scholarships are available first come, first served. Completed professional development activities from December 7, 2021 onward may be eligible for reimbursement. Funds are limited and availability may change. Scholarship awards will be discontinued if funds are unavailable. Individual awards are not transferable and may expire.
Apply online or with the application:
Administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education. Funding provided for by the 2021-23 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the State of Oregon and AFSCME/Oregon Child Care Providers Together.
Betty Gray Scholarship
Due to the high demand for the Betty Gray Early Childhood Scholarship program, we have awarded the maximum amount of funding available for the 2024-2025 program year. Therefore, we are temporarily pausing coursework coverage of the Betty Gray Scholarship program until additional funding is available.
Key Details
• Purpose: To provide financial assistance for eligible training and education expenses to early childhood professionals in Oregon.
• Funding: The scholarship has been generously funded by the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) and administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education (OCCD). The scholarship funding is allocated annually, and applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis while funds are available.
• Current Funding Status: Due to high demand, the remaining funds for the 2024-2025 program year will be allocated to current applications, and no new applications for college tuition will be accepted. Applications for approved conferences and cohorts will be accepted while funding allows.
Other scholarships administered by OCCD may be available:
• Early Learning Degree Pathway (ELDP) – Funding is available for degree translation and evaluation only.
• Oregon Family Child Care (OFCC) – Oregon’s Registered Family and Certified Family Child Care Providers may be eligible.
• Hadiyah Miller Memorial Scholarship – Providers who live or work in early childhood care and education in Multnomah County may be eligible.
Apply online or with the application:
Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship on Pause
The goal of the Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship is to enhance the quality of care and education for young children in Oregon by supporting the Early Childhood Workforce.
Due to great interest, the Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship, administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development, has been placed on pause for new tuition and fee support applications.
Hadiyah Miller Scholarship
The Hadiyah Miller Scholarship (HMS) Program was established in memory of Hadiyah Miller and funded by Preschool for All to carry forward her dedication to equitable opportunities for all educators, children and families. The scholarship will focus on providing access to professional development for individuals living in or working in early childhood education within Multnomah County, Oregon.
Hadiyah Miller Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
✔ You must work directly with children or supervise staff who work directly with children in an Oregon Office of Child Care licensed facility (Registered Family, Certified Family, or Certified Center), Baby/Preschool Promise program, Tribal child care, or an ERDC active facility.
✔ You must live or work in Multnomah County, Oregon
✔ You must have an Oregon Registry Online (ORO) account. (To create an account, please visit https://my.oregonregistryonline.org/.)
✔ Complete a scholarship application
Scholarship Activities
● Oregon Community College tuition (up to 8 credits per term in the field of early childhood education). Please register for class and include proof of registration with your application. Proof you are registered must be from an official college source (college online registration portal or the college registrar's office) and must include student name, student ID number, college name, college term, course number, and course credits. We must receive your application by:
o Fall 2024: September 12
o Winter 2025: December 12
o Spring 2025: March 13
o Summer 2025: June 5
● Conference registration fees (must be in Oregon and sponsored by ORAEYC, Oregon ASK-NAA, or PRO). Conference activities sponsored by a state-supported Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, and Chinese may be covered. Please send us your scholarship application before the conference.
● Cohort training registration fees (must be approved by the Oregon Registry Trainer Program (ORTP) and offered by a state-supported CCR&R or by ORAEYC, Oregon ASK-NAA, or PRO).
● Oregon Community College Transcription (CDA or Registry Step 7 for community college credit). Please contact us before applying.
● CDA Credential initial application (up to $425). Please write down your 7-digit Customer ID, credential type and language on your scholarship application.
● ORIMHA Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement fees
● Oregon Registry Credential application fee (up to $225) and Oregon Registry Credential Observation reimbursement (up to $75). Please contact us before applying.
● International Degree Services Translation (if needed) and Evaluation of Degrees/College Courses (must be in the relevant fields) completed outside of the US. Please contact us before applying.
Apply online or with the application:
Administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education. Funding provided by Multnomah County’s Preschool for All Initiative. Scholarships are available first come, first served. Funds are limited and availability may change.
International Degree translation and evaluation applications are open
International degree translation and evaluation applications are still being accepted. Scholarship funds are available for the ECE workforce for evaluation of a degree earned outside of the United States.
Apply online or with the application:
Administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education (OCCD). Funding provided by the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC). Scholarships are available first come, first served. Funds are limited and availability may change.
Community Based Training (CBT) Approval Information
Are you interested in receiving Community Based Training (CBT)? If so, please refer to this list of eligible CBT activities:
Oregon Child Care Workforce Recognition Payment Program
In an effort to recognize child care providers across the state of Oregon for their exceptional work, the Oregon Legislature has allocated an annual $500 payment to eligible child care providers in 2024 and 2025! The work that you do as early childhood educators keep this state afloat and we want to say thank you!
The application can be found when you log into your myORO account after April 7, 2025.
To be eligible, you must:
- Have a myORO account.
- Work for at least 90 days at 10 hours a week in the calendar year.
- Currently work in a licensed Oregon child care facility or in a license exempt or recorded program or as a family, friend, neighbor care receiving ERDC.
Below is a table to illustrate the steps within the timeline of the application process:
For more information, please visit this link to access the Workforce Recognition Information website at https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/workforce-recognition.
If you are unable to engage with the online application, please call Sam Morelli at (503) 725-6912 or email occdrecognition@pdx.edu for support. Below are also links to additional resources including a "Frequently Asked Questions" sheet, "How To Update Your Employment" instructions, etc: