Are you looking for grants to help fund your child care center in Central New York? If so, you're in luck! The United States Rescue Plan Act has allocated funds to support child care providers in the area. In this article, we'll discuss what you need to know about the grants available and how to apply for them. In many areas of Syracuse and Onondaga County, there are more children under five years old than there are available positions in child care centers. This means that these areas are considered child care deserts.
The CEO of Child Care Solutions has said that the problem is due to providers not having enough money to pay staff competitive salaries. The market rates are too slow for the state to reimburse children who receive a child care subsidy, and families can't afford more care. This makes it difficult for providers to keep their businesses running. The funds from the grant will help support staff salaries and make it easier for providers to stay afloat. The Determination Center is an example of a successful child care center. It is run by a family of four, and they are the backbone of the center.
They perform all the functions that a child care center needs to thrive. However, it can be difficult to find volunteers who are willing to go through the background check process. If you receive the grant, you can use it to hire more staff and buy resources for the children. All interested providers must complete the OCFS child care guidance before applying for the grant opportunity. After completing the orientation, applicants can apply for a license application and apply for it. The award of grants depends on the funds available and on whether the application meets the grant criteria.
We encourage you to contact your regional Early Childhood Enrichment Office (ECE) to help you select the elements that optimize the development of infants and toddlers within your program. If this is your first time in child care and you want to open a center for the first time, there are resources available to help you with this process. The OCFS has distributed another round of funding with the Stabilization 2.0 grant for workforce support to child care providers. This grant will assist new child care providers in underserved areas develop their programs, cover initial and staff costs, hire, train and retain staff. You can use an online mapping tool created by OCFS and CCF to determine if your non-profit daycare center is located in a rural community or town in New York State with a population of less than 20,000. This will determine if you are eligible for this grant. In order to qualify for the grant opportunity and continue to receive grant payments, the provider must be in good standing, operate and provide in-person care to at least one child who is enrolled and attends on a regular basis (defined as in-person attendance at least one day in a given month).For more information on the training needed to become licensed, visit the OCFS child care training site.
The Division of Nutrition, Child and Adult Care (CACFP) is also partnering with OCFS to attract new child care providers who recently received funding. If you're looking for grants that can help fund your child care center in Central New York, there are options available! We hope this article has given you an overview of what you need to know about these grants and how to apply for them.