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Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment — Australia, 2025-26

Rolling Applications

Department of Education

Funding to support a wage increase for all eligible early childhood education and care workers. Applications are accepted through GrantConnect for eligible providers during the application period.

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Deadline

Rolling / Ongoing

Duration

2 December 2024 to 30 November 2026

Location

Australia

Who Can Apply

• Eligibility is detailed in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and Application. • Applicants must complete the Application Form. • Applicants must address all eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant. • Funding is intended to support a wage increase for all eligible ECEC workers.
Eligibility is stated as detailed in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and Application. Applicants must complete the application form and address all eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant. The opportunity relates to eligible ECEC workers, but the full applicant eligibility requirements are not provided in the page extract.

What's Funded

Providing wage increases or retention payments for eligible early childhood education and care workers.

Before you apply

Check Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment fit and evidence gaps before 30 Sept 2026

Use this mixed grant page to sanity-check eligibility, funding fit, evidence gaps and application effort before you commit days to drafting. If you already know the grant you want, the 48-hour audit gives a practical go/no-go view, reviewer-readiness score and next-step risks.

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Expected Outcomes

Improved retention of eligible ECEC workers through funded wage increases over the grant activity period.
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Key Information

Applicant Types

companysole_traderpartnershiptrustnon_profitcooperativelocal_governmentother

Stage

any

Funding Purposes

employmentcommunity

Keywords

early childhood educationchild careECECworker retentionwage increaseemployment supportDepartment of Education

Official Grant Page

Department of Education

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment?

The Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment is a mixed grant offered by Department of Education in Australia. Funding to support a wage increase for all eligible early childhood education and care workers. Applications are accepted through GrantConnect for eligible providers during the application period.
2

Who is eligible for the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment?

  • Eligibility is detailed in the Grant Opportunity Guidelines and Application.
  • Applicants must complete the Application Form.
  • Applicants must address all eligibility criteria to be considered for a grant.
  • Funding is intended to support a wage increase for all eligible ECEC workers.
3

When does the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment close?

Applications close on 30 Sept 2026. This is a rolling program — new rounds may open.
4

What activities are funded?

Providing wage increases or retention payments for eligible early childhood education and care workers.
5

How do I apply for the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Worker Retention Payment?

Start by checking your eligibility using the free Beta Docs eligibility checker. If eligible, Beta Docs' AI-powered platform can help you draft, review, and refine your application to maximise your chances of success.

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Beta Docs has helped founders secure $160M+ in competitive grants. Our AI platform drafts compliance-perfect applications — and our expert reviewers make sure you stand out.

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