FCCMPL 34 (Licensed Family Child Care Provider Start-Up Grants)
Family Child Care Manual Procedure Letter No. 34
April 28, 2023
TO: All Family Child Care Manual Holders
FROM: Matt Damschroder, Director
SUBJECT: Licensed Family Child Care Provider Start-Up Grants
PRINTER-FRIENDLY PDF:Printer-Friendly PDF of this Letter

Background

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 issued Supplemental Discretionary funds to states through the Child Care and Development Fund. Amended Substitute House Bill 45 of the 134th General Assembly of Ohio authorized the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to use these funds to establish new family child care (FCC) type A and type B programs across the state.

Grant Eligibility

ODJFS is providing start-up grants to the first 100 FCC providers who are licensed and sign a Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC) provider agreement between January 1, 2023 – January 1, 2024. These FCC providers will receive a $2,000.00 one-time payment. If a provider was licensed on or after January 1, 2023 and has not signed a PFCC provider agreement, the provider could be eligible to receive the start-up grant once the PFCC provider agreement has been signed.

Applicants for an FCC license must complete the FCC pre-licensing training in the Ohio Professional Registry (OPR). After completing the pre-licensing training, the applicant may apply for a FCC license in the Ohio Child Licensing and Quality System (OCLQS). The Family Child Care Home Licensing – Getting Started document will assist FCC applicants with the application, licensure and PFCC provider agreement process.

Payment

Providers already meeting the eligibility criteria for the start-up grant will receive payment by mid-May. ODJFS will issue one-time payments for startup expenses monthly after the FCC provider is licensed and signs a PFCC provider agreement.

Payment will be issued via electronic fund transfer to the bank account associated with the provider in OCLQS. The maximum grant amount per provider is $2,000.00. Payments are subject to the availability of appropriate state or Federal funds.

FCC providers receiving this start-up grant are not eligible to receive additional incentive funding provided at FCC recruitment fairs when both are funded using ARPA Supplemental Discretionary Funds.

Questions

Please contact the Child Care Policy Help Desk with questions at childcarepolicy@jfs.ohio.gov or 1-877-302-2347 option 4.