Jewish early childhood education is a great place to experience the joys and richness of Jewish life and community. The HGF will help pay the tuition of the first child in a Jewish family in our region to enroll in a Jewish preschool. Each family is eligible for a grant of up to $1,000 toward the first year of tuition.

Eligibility guidelines

A child is eligible for an HGF Right Start grant if:

• The child is age 2.9 or older
• The family identifies as a Jewish family
• The family resides in western Massachusetts or southern Vermont
• The child is enrolled in one of the four participating Jewish preschool programs in western Massachusetts
• The child is enrolled in a Jewish preschool program that meets 3, 4 or 5 days per week. The child may be attending half day, full day, or extended day
• The child is enrolled in a Jewish preschool program for the first time. Children who have attended a preschool program previously with Jewish content for 2 or 3 days a week without a parent or caregiver do not qualify for this program. A child who has attended a Jewish toddler program is still eligible when he or she reaches the age to move up to preschool
• The child is the first child in a family to attend a Jewish preschool

Grant amount

Days per week attended           Grant Amount
          3 days                                       $500
          4 days                                       $750
          5 days                                       $1,000

To apply

This program is inspired by Jewish United Fund (JUF) Right Start, a program of the JUF and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.