Support for Early Childhood Councils

As of June 1st, 2021 the HSQI Funding abbreviation became ESQI in Sugar and ecConnect and is for Programs Level 1-5 that serve families with High Needs (as defined by School Readiness Rule 7.716.1 CCR) and seek or maintain a higher quality rating.  

The CSQI Funding abbreviation became TSQI in Sugar and ecConnect and is for Programs Level 1-5 that have a CCCAP Fiscal in place and seek or maintain a higher quality rating.


 Programs with a CCCAP fiscal Agreement will be directed to the TSQI Application and Programs without the CCCAP Fiscal Agreement will be directed to the ESQI Application.  

If you have non-technological questions about these funding streams, please contact your Program Officer at the Office of Early Childhood.

Helpful tip: Click on any of the images in the article below to see a larger version of that image!

1) Who is eligible for TSQI/ESQI Funding? 

Programs with quality levels 1-5 are eligible for funding. Those programs without a CCCAP Fiscal will be eligible for ESQI- Expanded.  Those programs with a CCCAP fiscal will be eligible for TSQI-Targeted. You can use the following Reports to find eligible programs:

#! ESQI - Expanded Eligibility - Use this report to find Programs Level 1-5 WITHOUT a CCCAP Fiscal are eligible for ESQI Funding 

#! TSQI - Targeted Eligibility - Use this report to find Programs Level 1-5 with a CCCAP Fiscal that are eligible for TSQI Funding 

2) How do programs apply for the TSQI/ESQI Funding? 

The application process is almost exactly the same as applying for CSQI or HSQI previously.  Applications are available to programs through their Colorado Shines portal, on the QI Home tab

• Programs with a CCCAP fiscal Agreement will be directed to TSQI-Targeted Application
• Programs without the CCCAP Fiscal Agreement will be directed to ESQI-Expanded Application
•  You can find the steps to walk Providers through the TSQI - Targeted and ESQI - Expanded Application HERE! 

3) MOU

There is still only one MOU, regardless of which funding a Program Applies for.  If you need to make any revisions to this standard MOU, please have the State review the changes ASAP.  Once your MOU customization has been approved please send it to support@ecconnectcolorado.org so that we can make sure it is loaded into Sugar! If you do not require any customizations, you will be using the default MOU.

4) Updated Award Amounts

Both TSQI - Targeted and ESQI - Expanded Award Amounts are as follows: 

• These amounts increased November 1, 2021, and Funds will still be awarded up-front to Providers upon Application Approval in Sugar. 
• Your Council's Allocation formulas are NOT changing from how you set them up at the beginning of the year.  If you want to change them you can do so or you can contact the ecConnect Support Helpdesk for support if needed.

5) Financial reporting to CDEC

There is an updated invoice template.  Please make sure to contact your Program Officer for a copy of this most updated template.

When you are ready to bill the Office of Early Childhood for your monthly expenditures, as well as mark records in Sugar as successfully billed to the funder to ensure no records are missed you can refer to the Step by Step Monthly Reconciliation Guide  For our more visual learners you can check out the Videos: Step by Step Monthly Reconciliation Process!