OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families has awarded $43 million in grants to 69 early learning projects across the state, three of which are here in Clallam County.

The grants provide financial assistance to allow Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program contractors and Working Connections Child Care providers to use the money to plan, expand, remodel, purchase or construct early learning facilities and classrooms.

The Clallam County grantees are the organization Concerned Citizens in Forks, which received $200,000, Sequim’s Little Explorers Early learning Center got $250,000, and the YMCA in Port Angeles was awarded a one million dollar grant for its early learning program.

(Photo by Nathan Inman)