Vermont Afterschool, proud to continue working with the Vermont Department for Children and Families’ Child Development Division (CDD) for the 2023–2024 Room for Me Grant to expand the number of school-age (ages 5–12) child care slots in afterschool, school vacation, and summer programs statewide.
Donor Name: Vermont Afterschool
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/25/2023
Size of the Grant: $50,000
Grant Duration: 9 months 27 days
Details:
Vermont Afterschool continues to address needs created or worsened by the pandemic. Afterschool, school vacation, and summer child care programs offer important opportunities for Vermont’s children and youth to engage, connect, and heal. They provide safe and inclusive environments with more time for learning and growth. They are a place where children and youth build relationships, explore interests, develop skills, and have valuable experiences. Importantly, these programs play a critical role in their communities. They help support working families by providing quality care and supervision during the workday.
Vermont Afterschool especially aims to grant funds to underserved areas of Vermont.
Purpose
This grant is designed to:
- Expand the amount of child care capacity across the state of Vermont.
- Aid communities with high-quality afterschool, school vacation, and summer (year-round) child care programs that support working families and meet youths’ well-being, connection, and mental health needs.
- Expand afterschool, school vacation, and summer child care programs for children and youth (ages 5–12) in areas where few or no services currently exist and in ways that increase how affordable, accessible, available, and inclusive these programs are across Vermont.
- Increase the number of programs that accept Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) funds so that opportunities for Vermont children and youth expand.
Program Funding Priorities
This grant is designed to expand capacity and access to afterschool and summer child care programs by:
- Increasing year-round (operating at least 42 weeks) licensed program slots for children and youth.
- Creating new licensed or regulated programs in parts of the state where few or no options are currently available. This can include extending hours/days of operation to serve more children and youth, or adding new locations/sites.
- Addressing affordability for children and youth (ages 5–12) and their families by enrolling in CCFAP.
Funding Information
At least $800,000 in Child Care and Development Block Grant funding supported by American Rescue Plan (ARPA) investments is available for 2023-2024 awards. Maximum grant requests may be up to $50,000, determined by program type:
Maximum Grant Award by Program Type:
- Family child care (home-based) programs: $20,000
- Child care centers, schools, businesses, municipalities, and other agencies: $50,000
Program Periods
September 01, 2023–June 28, 2024
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, a program must:
- Be a new or existing regulated, center-based child care/afterschool program, or a family child care home.
- Be in good regulatory standing with the Vermont Child Care Licensing regulations specific to the type of program being operated.
- Enroll children/families eligible for and participating in Child Development Division’s (CDD) Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP).
- Provide child care for school-age children (ages 5–12) for at least 42 weeks of the year.
- Propose a type of project that results in a higher number of licensed school-age slots available. Projects may include minor remodeling, equipment, materials, or increased levels of staffing (e.g., hiring, training, or increased/extended staffing hours/days).
- Outline in the application a plan to achieve any eligibility criteria if a program does not currently meet them.
NOTE: Before you complete this grant application, they strongly suggest you reach out to a CDD Child Care Business Technician to ensure your project will meet licensing requirements.
For more information, visit Vermont Afterschool.
