Background

Section 423.105 of Amended Substitute House Bill No. 33 of the 135th General Assembly appropriated $15 million per year for infant and toddler infrastructure grants in communities with high infant mortality rates to rebuild the infant and toddler workforce and to increase access to infant and toddler child care. Since the pandemic, child care programs have struggled to maintain an adequate workforce and have closed classrooms. These grants are intended to offset the higher costs associated with lower staff to child ratios for infants and toddlers and the additional spacing, equipment and supplies needed to serve this population.

The Director of Children and Youth, in collaboration with the Director of Job and Family Services, will utilize this funding to provide grants to eligible Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) licensed child care centers and family child care (FCC) homes, as well as Ohio Department of Education (ODE) licensed preschools. These grants may be used to provide workforce supports, reopen an infant/toddler classroom, convert a closed classroom to an infant/toddler classroom or expand programs for infant/toddler space, open new programs, technical assistance, facilities improvement and classroom supplies.

Who Qualifies for the Infant and Toddler Infrastructure Grants?

ODJFS licensed non-profit or for-profit child care centers, Type A and Type B FCC homes, and ODE preschool programs who meet the requirements listed below will qualify for the grant. Preschool special education programs are not eligible to apply.

Qualifications

1.Be licensed and in good standing (not in the revocation process)

2.Have an active provider agreement to offer or deliver publicly funded child care (PFCC)

3.Operate in an Ohio Equity Initiative community within the following counties:

Butler, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Montgomery, Stark and Summit

4.Serve or intend to serve infants and toddlers during the life of the grant without displacing children from other age groups. Infant means a child who is under eighteen months of age. Toddler means a child who is at least eighteen months of age but less than three years of age.

Maximum Grant Awards Per Classroom or Family Child Care Home

If the existing child care license needs to be amended to serve infants or toddlers, programs are to submit a license capacity amendment in accordance with rules 5101:2-12-02, 5101:2-13-02, or 3301-37-02 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC).

How Can My Child Care Program Apply for the Grant?

Applications can be submitted using this link: https://forms.office.com/g/pYn5rdqvSu

Child care center and ODE preschool award recipients will receive half the funding after the application has been approved. Programs can request the second half of the total payment after they have enrolled and served at least four new infants or toddlers within 120 days of the application approval. One of the four new infants or toddlers needs to be approved to receive PFCC.

Family child care award recipients will receive half the funding after their application has been approved. Providers can request the second half of the total payment after they have enrolled and served at least one new infant or toddler approved to receive PFCC within 120 days of the application approval.

What Does the Grant Award Cover?

The grant funding may be used for workforce supports, facility improvements, and classroom supplies.

Reporting Requirements

Providers will be required to submit quarterly and annual reports as outlined in the program’s award letter.

Reports will include but not be limited to the following information:

• The number of children including their age and if they are participating in PFCC or are private pay
• Staff by role
• How the funding was spent monthly
• Best practices and lessons learned

Questions

Child Care Policy Help Desk

1-877-302-2347, option 4

childcarepolicy@childrenandyouth.ohio.gov