Stabilization grant open to childcare providers
By Emily Hemphill - emily@sewardindependent.com, Republished with permission.
Childcare providers across Nebraska have another opportunity for grant funding to help stabilize their programs in the midst of financial difficulties.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Sept. 18 a grant through the Division of Children and Family Services that is available only to those who previously received the Child Care Stabilization Grant.
Those providers can now apply for an additional payment to be used for operational costs or staffing.
“This is a huge win for early childhood educator staffing,” said Kylie Schildt, program coordinator for the Milford Childhood Learning Center, a nonprofit childcare facility opening in Milford in the next few months. “Staffing and wages are part of our $1.9 million capital goal. Every dollar MCLC can capture from this one-time payment chips away at that goal.”
Schildt and several other Seward County childcare providers have already applied for the additional stabilization grant.
According to DHHS, this additional one-time payment will be covered by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars in an effort to alleviate rising operational costs.
“These additional grants are vital to the continued stabilization of child care programs and DHHS is keenly focused on strengthening business operations of this industry and elevating the wages of this workforce. These funds are a key component of this continued effort,” said CFS Interim Division Director Tony Green in a press release.
The payment is expected to assist about 2,250 childcare providers. For MCLC, the grant will allow more space to be opened and more children to be served.
“For every 35 square feet of space you can get finished and licensed, the state will pay to staff it through September 2024,” Schildt said.
Currently, MCLC’s board of directors is seeking community financial support to ensure it can make more than just a few spaces available to the more than 50 children in need of licensed care in Milford.
“The Milford Childhood Learning Center needs immediate community support …the more Milford invests, the more state funding we can capture for staffing and wages.”
“The Milford Childhood Learning Center needs immediate community support prior to that submission or we may be only able to open one to two classrooms to start and renovate the other classrooms throughout the rest of the year,” Schildt said. “This means missing out on free money from the state. The more Milford invests, the more state funding we can capture for staffing and wages.”
Providers must respond to the stabilization grant survey by Sept. 30. Those who were eligible should have received an email with application details. Questions may be directed to dhhs. stabilizationgrant@nebraska.gov.
MCLC Note: The MCLC has already submitted its survey response as required by September 30. Fund disbursement will be based on space available at the time of licensing.