Enhanced Rate Program (ERP)
The Department of Human Services helps eligible parents pay for child care. Childhood care and education professionals who care for their children can receive a higher rate of pay by meeting certain training standards. The Enhanced Rate Program certifies providers who meet these standards.
Apply online or with the Enhanced Rate Program Application.
For training or DHS Listing help, please contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral. To find a Child Care Resource and Referral near you, visit triwou.org/projects/ccrr or call 800-342-6712.
For help with rates and payments, please contact the DHS Direct Pay Unit at 800-699-9074.
Oregon’s Department of Human Services funds the Enhanced Rate Program.
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
The Betty Gray Early Childhood Scholarship supports the growth of quality child care in Oregon by providing financial support for training and education for childhood care and education diverse professionals working in Oregon.
If you work directly with children or supervise staff who work directly with children at least 20 hours a week in an Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care licensed facility (Registered Family, Certified Family, or Certified Center), Baby/Preschool Promise program, Tribal child care, or an ERDC active facility, you may be eligible for the Betty Gray scholarship to help pay for the following professional development opportunities (scholarship awards are based on Oregon Registry Step):
If you’re at a Step 1 through 12, you may apply for:
✔ 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.
✔ Oregon Registry Credential application fee (up to $225). Please contact us before applying.
✔ Oregon Registry Credential Observation reimbursement (up to $75). Please contact us before applying.
If you are at a Step 1 through 8.5, you may apply for:
✔ Oregon-based conferences sponsored by:
- Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC)
- Provider Resource Organization (PRO)
- Oregon Association of Early Learning Professionals (OAELP)
- Oregon Afterschool for Kids – NAA Affiliate (Oregon ASK-NAA)
- State-funded local Child Care Resource and Referrals (CCR&Rs) who conduct conferences in a language other than English track
✔ Cohort training organized by state-supported CCR&Rs and/or approved professional organizations (state-supported CCR&R or OAELP, ORAEYC, Oregon ASK-NAA, or PRO).
✔ Oregon Community College tuition (up to 5 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 office) and include: student name, student ID number, college name, college term, course number, 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
✔ Oregon Community College Transcription (CDA or Registry Step 7 for community college credit). Please contact us before applying.
✔ CDA Credential initial application fee (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.
If you’re at a Step 9 through 12, you may apply for:
✔ Advanced Cohort training series organized by state supported CCR&R and/or approved professional organizations (OAELP, ORAEYC, Oregon ASK-NAA, or PRO). Please send us your application before the training.
Apply online or with the application:
• English (PDF)
• Spanish (PDF)
• Russian (PDF)
Administered by the Oregon Center for Career Development in Childhood Care and Education. Funding provided by the Oregon Community Foundation. Scholarships are available first come, first served. Funds are limited and availability may change.
Early Learning Degree Pathway Scholarship on Pause
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. International degree translation and evaluation applications are still being accepted.
The requests that have already been received are more than the funds that are available for the 2023-2025 program year. Summer term applications submitted before the pause are being processed on a first come first serve basis. Applicants will be told of their selected status by Monday, June 24, 2024. Applications are still being accepted for other scholarship opportunities; visit the scholarships page at https://www.pdx.edu/education-career-development/enhanced-rate-scholarships for more information.
Please contact Slava Bakhanovich at occdsch@pdx.edu for more information or opportunities for other scholarship supports.
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 [https://my.oregonregistryonline.org/]
✔ Complete a scholarship application
Scholarship Activities
● Oregon Community College tuition (up to 5 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 OAELP, 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 OAELP, 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:
English (PDF)
Spanish (PDF)
Russian (PDF)
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.
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 May 31, 2024.
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 receiving ERDC 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: