INCENTIVE$ Florida awards annual stipends between $450 and $5,000 to early learning educators, family child care home providers, and directors in participating counties, for their higher education achievements and commitment to their programs.
In conjunction with the TEACH Early Childhood® Scholarship Program, this early learning quality initiative can help increase the education, compensation, and stability of the ECE workforce, both locally and statewide.
Eligible early learning educators and family child care providers must create and use a Children’s Forum personal portal account to access the INCENTIVE$ online application. Applications must include:
- Proof of employment
- Formal education documents (ex. unofficial transcripts)
- Paystub or proof of your hourly wage
- Family child care home providers must complete a Monthly Income Worksheet
Applicants must create a portal account using their personal email address. Please follow steps below:
- Visit https://login.thechildrensforum.com/ and click on the Create Account button
- Enter details as requested on each page (Name, DOB, Demographics, Address, etc.)
- Check your personal email account for a message from registryportal@thechildrensforum.com
- NOTE: Please allow up to 15 minutes to receive this email and check your SPAM folder
- Open the email and click the link. You may also copy/paste this link into your browser
- This link will take you to set your Portal Account password
- Enter your password into both boxes, then click the Reset Password button
- Login with your new password to see your Portal Account Dashboard!
Directors must sign off on all applications and complete the employment verification for each eligible six-month commitment period. This is completed using a Children’s Forum Business Account.
Visit https://login.thechildrensforum.com/siteaccessrequest and follow all steps to create the early learning program’s Business Account. Only the Director listed on the DCF license (Director of Record) will be able to access and/or create a Business Account.
The INCENTIVE$ Scale award levels range from $450 to $5,000 for full-time employees. These awards are based upon the participant’s education level and reflect the schedule worked during a six-month commitment period (i.e., staff working part-time in the classroom receive prorated awards).
Click here to view the INCENTIVE$ Scale.
INCENTIVE$ stipends are typically received 45 – 60 days after the participant’s employment is confirmed with their program director (Business Account). Stipend payments are loaded on an Akimbo Prepaid Mastercard that participants can easily access.
If a participant did not work for an extended period during their required six-month commitment period, they must make up missed time before they will be eligible to receive an INCENTIVE$ award. This includes summer breaks, vacations, or parental/medical leave.
NOTE: All INCENTIVE$ stipend payments are contingent upon funding availability at the time of employment confirmation.
Participants can increase their level on the INCENTIVE$ Scale by increasing their education through college credits. The TEACH Early Childhood® Scholarship Program can help participants attain this additional education with little out-of-pocket costs. TEACH offers a variety of scholarship opportunities that include early learning credentials and renewals, college credits and certificates, and degrees in early childhood education or related fields.
If you leave your child care center or family child care home before successfully completing a six-month commitment period, you will not receive an INCENTIVE$ stipend. Participants must be actively employed at the program from which they applied at the time of confirmation. If you move to another eligible early learning program or family child care home, you will need to reapply to INCENTIVE$.
Participants at INCENTIVE$ Scale Levels 1 through 4 have a continuing education requirement to complete (one) three college-credit course in Early Childhood Education or Child Development to retain program eligibility. Center-based educators must satisfy the requirement every two years; family child care home providers every three years. Participants can use TEACH Scholarship to help meet this requirement and/or further their education to reach higher award levels.
No. INCENTIVE$ and TEACH work together to help increase the education, compensation, and retention of our state’s ECE workforce, but participation in both programs is not required. Participants create their personal portal account using one email address to apply for both of these programs.
INCENTIVE$ is a locally funded early learning quality initiative and participation varies by county. The program is administered by the Children’s Forum under contract with local early learning coalitions, children’s services councils, and private contributors. If you are interested in bringing INCENTIVE$ to your community, please contact your Early Learning Coalition.
INCENTIVE$ would not be possible without our funders.
Thank you for supporting your local early learning community!
