Apply for CARES 3.0
CARES 3.0 provides eligible educators with twice annual stipends to augment their salaries. Stipend amounts range from $4,000-$39,000 per year depending on program demographics, full- or part-time employment schedule, and teacher qualifications. Educators apply directly to DEC and are paid twice annually.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered eligible for the CARES 3.0 stipend program you must:
- Be employed by an Early Learning For All program that has been deemed eligible by the Department of Early Childhood
- Work directly with children for at least 20 hours a week
A list of eligible programs and their tier information can be found using the links below:
External Link
Note for employers:
All CARES applicants will need to be verified on the California ECE Workforce Registry. As a funding entity the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood reserves the right to request copies of payroll information and employee work schedules to verify employment if necessary.
For support with Employer Administration on the CA ECE Workforce Registry, please contact the Help Desk at Children’s Council [email protected] or 415-343-4669.
Note for SFUSD educators:
SFUSD educators are not eligible for CARES 3.0.
How to Apply
Applicants are required to apply for each stipend round (Fall and Spring), and it is the responsibility of each applicant to continuously check their email for updates and communications from the CARES 3.0 team and ensure their profile information and the W-9 on file is up to date.
Stipend Process/Timeline
Log in to the CA ECE Workforce Registry and submit a CARES 3.0 Application.
- Log in to the CA ECE Workforce Registry and submit a CARES 3.0 Application (Please take time to review the application guide for step-by-step instructions)
- Don’t forget: Your employer must verify your payroll!
- Fall rounds: Employer must verify payroll for all employee-applicants
- Spring rounds: Employer must verify payroll only for employee-applicants who were not verified in the preceding Fall round
- Check if your program has submitted payroll documentation
You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your application.
- After the application is submitted, a confirmation email will be sent to the applicant
- If you do not receive this email, please reach out to the CARES team
A Workforce team member will review your application information.
- A CARES 3.0 team member will review the application information, including employment, verified documents on file, and program eligibility
You will receive either an approval or denial.
- An approval or denial email will be sent after the application period closes
Stipend Disbursement: Fall 2026
- If approved, the email will include your stipend estimate
- If information seems incorrect, you can submit an appeal by following instructions provided in this email
- If you submit an appeal, a Workforce team member will review it and you will be notified if your appeal is approved or denied
- If your appeal is approved, you will receive an email with your stipend estimate within two weeks of the closed application period
Fall 2026 CARES 3.0 Webinars
Check out the recordings linked below in your preferred language to get all the most up to date information on this round of CARES.
- CARES 3.0
CARES 3.0 Fall 2026 Pre-Recorded Webinar (English)
- August 17, 2026
Available Materials
- CARES 3.0
CARES 3.0 Fall 2026 Pre-Recorded Webinar (Spanish)
- August 17, 2026
Available Materials
- CARES 3.0
CARES 3.0 Fall 2026 Pre-Recorded Webinar (Chinese)
- August 17, 2026
Available Materials
Stipend Amounts
Here are a few examples of how to determine your stipend amount:
Teacher A: Green tier FCC Owner/Provider, works full time and has 12 core units verified on the CA ECE Workforce Registry (no permit on file) is eligible for $7,540 per round
Teacher B: Blue tier FCC aide, works part-time and has associate teacher permit verified on registry is eligible for $5,000 per round
Teacher C: Orange tier educator, works as lead teacher FT and has a verified MA degree in a related field with 24 ECE units verified on the registry is eligible for $5,000 per round
About CARES 3.0
The Compensation and Retention for Early Educators Stipend (CARES 3.0) is the newest iteration of a stipend program designed to support the early educators of San Francisco who are working within the Early Learning For All network of City-funded settings. This new iteration of the CARES program considers the percentage of our priority population being served by programs and places each program into a tier (see table below). The stipend amount is then determined by each educator’s education level and experience, considering degree, early education units obtained, and CA ECE permit level.
Contact
Children’s Council Help Desk
- 415-343-4669
Contact for questions about:
- Creating or updating your Workforce Registry profile; employer administrative access or your registry account
Workforce Initiative Team
- 628-652-3005
Contact for questions about:
- Compensation and Retention for Early Educators Stipend (CARES 3.0), Stipend for Early Educator Professional Development (SEEPD), Early Educator Salary Support Grant (EESSG), and Pathways.
For updates and reminders about workforce programs including CARES 3.0 and SEEPD, sign up for the Workforce Initiative Email list using the link below.