The Bay Area Community Foundation (BACF) is partnering with the County of Bay to provide critical funding to childcare providers.
Donor Name: Bay Area Community Foundation
State: Michigan
County: Bay County (MI)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/31/2023
Size of the Grant: $5,000 – $25,000
Grant Duration: 14 months
Details:
In collaboration with the Bay Arenac Intermediate School District (BAISD), BACF funded a Childcare Capacity Study to measure the state of childcare system following COVID-19. This study identified a significant gap in available childcare services in Bay County that widens further when adding quality as an additional component of care.
As a response to the negative impact noted in the study, these funds are available to assist eligible childcare providers in recovering from the effects of COVID-19 to increase the capacity and improve the quality of childcare in Bay County.
Funding Information
- Up to $300,000 is available for the Bay County ARPA Childcare Grant Program
- In general, they anticipate that awards will fall between $5,000 – $25,000. Only one grant award per organization will be given
- Applicants may apply for expenses incurred during the period beginning September 1, 2023, and ending October 31, 2024.
Uses of funds
- These funds are intended to increase the capacity and improve the quality of childcare providers. Increasing capacity may include expanding your ability to meet your licensed number or increasing your overall licensed number. Examples of quality improvement may include new or continued participation in Great Start to Quality’s (GSQ) continual process of quality improvement.
- Funds are available to support childcare providers in the following categories:
- Payroll
- Rent/mortgage (limited to the portion used to conduct business)
- Operating costs
Eligibility Criteria
- The Bay County ARPA Childcare Grant Program is designed to support childcare providers serving and located in Bay County to increase their capacity and improve the quality of their services. The Foundation will be working with both nonprofit and for-profit childcare providers.
- To be eligible, a childcare provider must:
- Be physically located in and provide services for Bay County
- Be a licensed childcare organization by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to conduct business in the State of Michigan
- Have not been debarred by the Federal Government
- Not have any delinquent tax filing, tax debt, or assessment with the State of Michigan or the U.S. Government or be currently involved in an active investigation for non-compliance or corrective action under LARA at the time of the grant award
- Not currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings
- In general, Early Head Start, Head Start, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) and 21st CCLC-funded childcare centers are not eligible. If you offer other tuition-based care, those portions of services may be eligible for funding.
Ineligible Uses of funds
Childcare providers may not use the funding for the following activities:
- Any expenses incurred before September 1, 2023
- Capital expenditures (any expense $5,000 or higher with a usual life of a year or longer)
- Bonuses to owners or employees are not allowed. Retention pay is an allowable expense for employees. Owners who provide regular and direct care for children may be eligible for retention pay
- Gifts or parties
- Mortgage payments beyond the portion used to conduct business
- Damages covered by insurance
- Charitable contributions
- Political contributions or lobbying
- Legal settlements
- Payment of interest or principal on outstanding debts, excluding mortgage portion used for business
- Any expense paid or reimbursed through PPP Loan funds, EIDL Loan or EIDL target or supplemental grant funds, or other CARES funds, another ARPA funding source such as the City of Bay City ARPA funds or Child Care Stabilization Grants
- Any expense that would not be considered an eligible expense by Final Rule, ARPA Act, or the IRS rules.
For more information, visit BACF.
