Child care expansion grant opportunity allocates $15 million a year in state dollars to support child care provided through nonprofit organizations
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) announced today the opening of applications for the nonprofit and Employer Workforce Care Partnership Grants, (also known as NEW Care Partnership Grants).
This opportunity is made available through the Child Care Improvement Fund, a 3-year pilot, which allocates $15 million a year in state dollars to support child care provided through nonprofit organizations. Following the success of the department’s collaboration with Tennessee businesses such as Tyson Foods to enhance employer-sponsored child care, this new initiative will use some of the Child Care Improvement Fund to aid in the creation of child care access for employers and their workforce.
The grant program invites nonprofit organizations in Tennessee to propose strategies and innovative models of partnership with private employers, aiming to expand child care availability for the employer’s workforce. With a rolling deadline, all qualifying nonprofit organizations are encouraged to learn more and apply based on information in the grant application guide.
“Access to child care is vital to family stability, community well-being and economic opportunity,” commented TDHS Commissioner Clarence H. Carter. “The private sector plays a critical role in making quality child care accessible and sustainable. We have already supported some exciting models of innovation, and we are eager to grow those models through this grant opportunity.”
The initiative requires partnership models to address the specific needs of employee families and enhance the financial sustainability of child care providers. Potential strategies could include new construction/renovation for on-site employer child care, access to existing employer facilities to create new licensed child care capacity, employer support for operating expenses, or the employer agrees to pay for an allotted number of new child care slots. Nonprofits are encouraged to submit other innovative partnership strategies that are appropriate to their community and situation.
For all awarded grants, state funds will match the level of monetary support invested by the employer throughout the grant term. The NEW Care Partnership Grants reflect TDHS’s commitment to fostering collaborative efforts that contribute to the well-being of families and communities across Tennessee.
For more information, visit the TDHS website.
Image by gpointstudio on Freepik.
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