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February | 2022
Update
"Known as the king of the beasts in China and symbolizing strength and bravery, 
the tiger is considered to be a guardian of children."
 Wu Yee Children's Services, sponsor of the 12th Annual Bayview Black History Month & Lunar New Year Celebration.

Funding Opportunity for Licensed
Child Care Facilities!

Center-based and home-based child care providers in California now have the opportunity to apply for grants to cover the costs of minor renovations and repairs of their facilities!  

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) released the Minor Renovation and Repairs Grant Request for Applications (RFA) last Monday. The deadline for applications is March 25th.

Examples of allowable uses of grant funds include:

  • Classroom upgrades/refresh such as new painting
  • Fixed equipment (washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, stoves)
  • Non-fixed equipment (portable dishwashers/sanitizers, air purifiers)
  • Plumbing and/or water filtration systems (sinks, portable sinks, automatic
    dispensers)
  • Landscaping
  • Ventilation systems and window replacement
  • Kitchen upgrades and equipment
Detailed information about the use of funds, eligibility, criteria for funding, and much more is available on the RFA, which is also published in Spanish. 

Two informational webinars will be held by CDSS/CCDD on February 15, 2022, about this program:   
For Center-Based Providers – 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM 
For Family Child Care Providers – 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

Tomorrow, February 10, from 1 to 2:30 PM, we will host a meeting with our members and partners where we will discuss collaborative strategies to promote this grant opportunity in communities around the state. Join us! 

Other Upcoming Events

Build Back Better Update

There continues to be pressure to make significant progress on the Build Back Better Act (BBB) before the State of the Union Address on March 1, 2022. The White House made statements indicating that a smaller reconciliation package could pass, including federal funding for child care and early learning. 

The 19th published a helpful summary on the current status of negotiations highlighting child care and universal pre-k provisions. First Five Years Fund also released an FAQ on the Child Care and Preschool Provisions in the Build Back Better Act.

Stay tuned for call-to-actions on the BBB coming soon! Meanwhile, let's keep the pressure on by taking some minutes of our week to use this form by the National Women's Law Center to contact your Senators and to follow and take action on social media with organizations like Parent Voices California. 

2022-23 State Budget Update

Governor Newson released this 2022-23 Budget Proposal last month, kicking off the process of negotiations that will end in June with the approval of the budget final version. 

The California Budget and Policy Center released their traditional annual report on the proposed budget, "First Look: Understanding the Governor’s Proposed 2022-23 State Budget," which includes an overview of the various items included in it. As stated in the report, the focus of the early learning part of the proposal is the expansion of the state's existing Transition Kindergarten Program.  

Investments in early learning facilities in this proposed budget are exclusively for the Inclusive Early Educational Expansion Program (IEEEP),  which provides funds to local education agencies (LEAs - school districts and county offices of education) to build or modify facilities.

Our Proposal: Investments in ECE Facilities 
In the upcoming months, we will be working with our members, partners, and allies on educating state legislators on the need for the following investments: Continued funding support for the Child Care and Development Infrastructure Grant Program:

  • Additional Funding and Restructuring the Child Care and Development Infrastructure Grant Program to ensure a targeted approach directed to communities and families with the greatest need with multi-year investment priorities.
  • Promoting the Development of Child Care and Early Learning Facilities in Affordable Housing Projects by implementing a study and creating a grant program under the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) that supports gap financing for child care centers and family child care (FCC) housing units that are co-located with affordable housing projects. 
These proposed investments are part of a comprehensive budget proposal for early care and education by the ECE Coalition. As members of the Coalition, we also support the following requests that are crucial for the sustainability of the field as we still face the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key Budget Provisions for the Field

In a Call to Action released last week,  EveryChild California outlined the three main investments that must be included in the 2022-23 State Budget for the sustainability of ECE field:
  • Hold harmless for direct contracting and APP programs for 2022-23
  • Family Fee waivers until October 31, 2022
  • Contract rollovers, so that direct contracting programs have 18-months to fully expend their funds, like APP contracts.
Take Action

Early Care and Education Facilities
Roundtable Series Highlight:
Financing Child Care Facilities
 
Financing Child Care Facilities was one of the topics we explored in the Roundtable Series on Early Care and Education Facilities last Fall.  Some of the key takeaways from this event include: 
  • Due to COVID-19, it is estimated that two out of five child care centers will be closed permanently.
  • A total of $250 MM in state grants will be distributed in the upcoming months under the California Child Care and Development Infrastructure Grant Program. The State’s general fund is the source of $150 MM, which will be primarily for construction and major renovation. The additional $100 MM from ARPA funds will mainly be used to support renovations and repairs of ECE facilities. 
  • It is critical to have private funding to help leverage public dollars, especially in high-need areas.
  • Financing should be combined with technical assistance and training.
  • There are financial products available for child care business owners, but many of them are not broadly accessible.
The Roundtable recording is available on our YouTube channel in English and Spanish.
 
Watch the Video

Other Updates & Resources
Child Care Next Door is a must-watch short video produced by Mission Driven Finance as part of the Making Space Series, sponsored by the National Children's Facilities Network.
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