Portland Growing Child Care Grant

Donor: City of Portland

About: The Portland Growing Child Care Grant Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, is designed to support the expansion of child care services in Portland, Maine. The program offers grants to both new and existing child care businesses, with a focus on encouraging the start-up of home-based child care businesses for up to 12 children. Additionally, it assists existing home-based child care, smaller center-based child care, and out-of-school child care (before and after school) for profit and nonprofit to expand and grow and hiring new staff.

The program provides grants of up to $15,500 for new child care businesses to cover start-up costs, including permitting, licensing, infrastructure, supplies, and equipment. Existing child care businesses that serve more than 50 children can receive grants of up to $5,000 to hire new staff, and existing child care businesses of any size can receive up to $11,000 for existing child care businesses to expand and grow their business, including home-based, out-of-school (before and after school), and centers.

The City of Portland’s Growing Child Care Grant Program is part of a broader effort to increase the number of child care slots available and improve accessibility through increased acceptance of the Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP). The program is administered by the City’s Housing and Economic Development Department, in collaboration with the City’s ARPA Program Coordinator. Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis, and the program will continue until the funds are depleted.

Focus: Child care, early childhood education, home-based child care, center-based child care, out-of-school child care

Region: Portland, Maine

Eligibility:
-Business is located in Portland or desires to open a home-based child care in Portland
-Plan to care for 3 to 12 children for start-ups (strongly recommended applying to care for up to 12 children)
-Currently licensed childcare business or proof of out-of school program license exemption.

Benefits:
-Up to $15,500 for new child care businesses to cover start-up costs
-Up to $5,000 for existing child care businesses that serve more than 50 children to hire new staff
-Up to $11,000 for existing child care businesses of any size to expand and grow their business
-Additional $500 if the provider plans to accept the State of Maine Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) and demonstrates enrollment upon submitting this application
-Additional $500 if the provider is willing to become a mentor site for CDA trainees in need of a practicum site

Terms:
-American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA): A $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, to speed up the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession.
-Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP): A program that helps low-income families pay for child care so they can work, attend school, or participate in job training.
-CDA (Child Development Associate): A nationally recognized credential in early childhood education that certifies that an individual has the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to provide quality care and education to young children.