Financial Resources
The Long Beach Early Learning Hub can help you identify financial assistance and scholarships to help cover the cost of childcare. Your family size, income information, and other family circumstances determine if you qualify.
ChildCare Funding in California
How we can help:
In recent years, financial assistance opportunities have expanded in California. It ranges from covering the full cost of childcare to partial costs. If you’re unsure whether you qualify for financial assistance, we encourage you to click explore on the Hub application to see if we can help you pay for the cost of care.
The Hub’s Universal Application screens families for multiple funding options including: state preschool, Head Start/Early Head Start, school district early childhood programming, privately funded scholarships, and community- based scholarships. Some child care providers host their own scholarship programs and submitting information through the full application may open up additional funding opportunities.
Understanding Eligibility
The following graph is intended to help families better understand the income eligibility criteria for various financial childcare support options. Note: income is not the only qualifying factor and families should complete an application for full assessment of their options.
Tuition Assistance is Back!
Apply today for our 2025 Tuition Assistance Program: Season of Support.
Applications are now open - simply complete our Universal Application to apply. If you are a returning family, email our team (thehubteam@thehublb.org) and we will reopen your original application to update.
Application review will begin October 27. Applications will be open through November until funding is expended. If a family is awarded, the Season of Support will provide tuition assistance ranging from $500-$1000 per month for the months of December and January.
Eligibility
Family Eligibility:
Families must meet the following criteria to be eligible for a Hub Scholarship:
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Adult applicant must be a resident of Long Beach, Lakewood, or Signal Hill
Qualifying family must meet the income thresholds. Making more than traditional subsidies (see above) but less than 150% of California median income.
Child(ren) must be 0-5 years old.
The child(ren) must attend a licensed childcare facility.
Adult applicant must have an identified need for full time childcare: be currently working, seeking employment or in school.
Family needs full-time childcare options.
The childcare provider of the families choice must be willing to become a Hub provider and agree to the terms of The Hub Tuition Assistance Program.
Adult applicant must agree to complete a survey about their participation in the Tuition Assistance Program.
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Adult applicant must be a resident of Long Beach Lakewood, or Signal Hill
Child(ren)must be 0-5 years old.
Adult applicant must have an identified need for full time childcare: be currently working, seeking employment or in school.
The family needs full-time childcare.
The child(ren) must attend a licensed childcare facility.
In filling out the Hub Universal application a family qualifies for an external subsidy program, such as funding through a resource or referral agency, that provides subsidized childcare services to eligible families. Examples could include: Alternative Payment, CalWORKs, and Family Child Care Home Education Network programs.
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The family chooses to enroll in a Hub provider that accepts external subsidy program and is awaiting paperwork completion and approval for their subsidy support (please note, the Season of Support will only last two months regardless of subsidy application status).
Adult applicant must agree to complete a survey about their participation in The Hub Tuition Assistance Program.
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Families that have already applied for care through the Hub Universal Application will be reviewed for eligibility and notified if they are eligible for a scholarship.
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Families already enrolled in care are eligible if their program agrees to participate. Please complete a Hub Universal Application and share your current providers information on your Hub application so we can reach out.
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Families will be notified of award via email or text. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, applicants should expect to receive updates via their Hub account.
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The Hub is based on a parent's choice model and families are able to choose a licensed childcare provider outside of Long Beach if the provider agrees to join the Hub.
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Funds are paid directly to the childcare provider. Families are responsible for paying any additional tuition and fees directly to the provider that are not covered by the scholarship.
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Families are responsible for paying directly to the provider any tuition not covered by tuition assistance.
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The Season of Support will last two months. December 2025 - January 2026.
For families eligible through Pathway 2: Please note that this is intended to be short-term support for families awaiting subsidy approval; families will only be eligible while awaiting external subsidy approval and for a maximum of 2 months
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Yes, families can apply for multiple children. Please include all eligible children in the Hub application.
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Send a message via your online application by clicking the support button.
Want to Call Us? (909) 396-0599 (Mention the Hub)