County Launches $15 Million Grant Program to Boost Childcare
The County of Santa Clara, in partnership with Valley Health Foundation, is making the grants available to childcare providers to improve facilities and expand operations, strengthening a vital resource for county families
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. – The County of Santa Clara is launching a new grant program that will enable childcare providers, who were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, to renovate or reopen facilities and expand existing operations, serving a critical need in the community.
The Childcare and Early Education Infrastructure Grant Program makes $15 million in grants available to local childcare providers. The money comes from federal Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds allocated to the County under the American Rescue Plan Act.
“February’s unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors to invest $15 million in American Rescue Plan funds into childcare facilities has reached a key moment,” said Supervisor and Board President Susan Ellenberg. “The pandemic closed hundreds of childcare providers throughout the county, and it is imperative to bring both the childcare facilities and workforce to meet the demand.”
The childcare expansion grants are available to childcare providers who operate out of homes (family-based providers) and commercial spaces (center-based providers). Grant recipients may use the funds for construction or facility improvements as well as operating costs, including rent and wages for staff.
Affordable childcare is a glaring need in Santa Clara County, where more than 700 licensed childcare facilities have closed over the last 10 years. At least 161 childcare providers shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, dropping the total number of family- and center-based providers in the county to 1,796 in 2021.
“Santa Clara County, like much of the state and nation, is experiencing a critical need for childcare and early education made worse by childcare closures during the pandemic,” said Sarah Duffy, the County’s Chief Children’s Officer, who oversees the Office of Children & Families Policy. “High-quality, affordable childcare is an essential resource for families while parents and caregivers are working or in school, particularly for low-income families. In response, the County’s childcare expansion grant program aims to increase the supply of available center- and family-based childcare. We encourage childcare providers in Santa Clara County to apply for construction and operations funding that will allow them to serve more children at their sites.”
The childcare expansion grants, which will be administered by Valley Health Foundation, are one of several County initiatives to boost quality childcare services. Over the past year, the Board of Supervisors also allocated $10 million, including $5 million in American Rescue Plan funds, to a trio of initiatives administered by nonprofit FIRST 5 Santa Clara County that are designed to increase and sustain the childcare and early education workforce. Among those initiatives is an apprenticeship program, now entering its second year, that includes on-the-job training and instruction at local community colleges.
To learn more about the Childcare and Early Education Infrastructure Grant Program and find out how to apply, visit the Valley Health Foundation’s program webpage or email the foundation at [email protected].
Childcare providers may now fill out pre-eligibility forms, available on the foundation's website, to determine if they qualify for the program. Valley Health Foundation will conduct webinars to assist grant applicants in October.
ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.
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Media Contact: Laurel Anderson / Aaron Kinney, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119, [email protected]
Posted: Sept. 13, 2023