This grant helps identified early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities operate sustainably. It is part of the Community Child Care Fund (CCCF).
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This opportunity is open to identified services.
About the grant
The restricted grant supports identified ECEC services in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities to operate sustainably.
Services with a restricted grant agreement are typically a:
- former Budget Based Funded service
- former Non-formula Funded Occasional Child Care service
- former Indigenous Advancement Strategy funded service
The grant recognises the unique circumstances that these services operate in. It helps them to:
- operate sustainably
- increase the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in care
- support families in their community to access the care they need.
The grant is closed to new applicants.
All CCCF grant recipients are listed on GrantConnect.
The grant is part of the Community Child Care Fund which helps services address barriers to ECEC participation.
Grant guide
The CCCF Restricted Grants Guide has information for grant recipients about:
- grant rules
- the laws you must be aware of
- resources and contact information.
Go to the CCCF Restricted Grants Guide
If you have questions about your grant, email CCCFrestricted@education.gov.au.
Reporting
Services who get a restricted grant must report serious and work health and safety incidents to us. It is a condition of your grant.
Report work health and safety incidents
Regulatory project
We're ensuring quality and safety in services that don't operate under the National Quality Framework (NQF).
In 2025, we're starting a regulatory project to help these services meet the quality and safety requirements in the Minister’s Rules. This will include CCCF restricted services operating under Minister’s Rules.
Learn more about the regulatory project
Expansion
We’re expanding the restricted grant as part of the government’s commitment to achieving Closing the Gap targets.
Learn about restricted expansion grants
Review
In 2023, we commissioned Deloitte to review the restricted grant. Deloitte worked in partnership with SNAICC and consultants Murawin.
The review examined how the grant is meeting its goals to:
- improve early childhood development outcomes for vulnerable and disadvantaged children
- increase workforce participation by vulnerable and disadvantaged families.
Learn more about the restricted grant review
Business support
We offer free business support to services who get a CCCF grant. This can help you review and improve your service’s financial viability and sustainability.
Learn more about business support
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