Deadline: 31-Aug-20
The Rhode Island Governor’s Office recently announced the establishment of a $5,000,000 Child Care Provider Relief Fund to provide critical resources necessary to help sustain the State’s essential child care infrastructure.
LISC, in partnership with the Department of Human Services (DHS), is administering this fund as emergency relief grants to the Rhode Island child care and early learning provider community through a competitive application process.
In accordance with the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund guidance, these funds may be used to cover costs that:
- are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19)
- were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020.
- Expenditures must be used for actions taken to respond to the public health emergency by addressing a medical or public health need and business interruptions due to COVID-19 related business closures.
Priority Areas
Priority areas for grant funding include:
- Provides services for infants and toddlers
- Reports and is able to document less than 65% utilization for reopening slots
- Located in one of Rhode Island’s four urban cities: Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, or Woonsocket
- Can demonstrate the capacity to manage the activities proposed during the eligible time frame.
Funding Information
- Grants are available for up to $150,000 in total per site.
- Applicants may apply for both types of grant funding (capital improvement grants and occupancy cost expense grants); however, the portion of a grant proposed for occupancy expense reimbursement cannot exceed three months of actual occupancy costs.
Purpose of Grants
- Capital Improvements – Capital grants are intended to provide child care and early learning facilities with resources to make small-scale renovations or offset other capital expenses to meet enhanced health and safety measures.
- Occupancy Cost Expenses – These grants are intended to reimburse child care providers for occupancy costs incurred that have been necessary to sustain the program through the COVID-19 public health emergency who have experienced a loss of revenue due to required closure and/or reduced group size limits upon reopening. Occupancy costs can include expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, and costs for the disinfection of facilities in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Grants Use
Grants will be available for the following uses:
- Small capital improvements are necessary to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related health and safety measures.
- Offset occupancy costs incurred during times of reduced revenue due to COVID-19 related closure or reduced enrollment; includes expenses such as rent/mortgage, utilities, and costs for disinfection of facilities in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Eligibility Criteria
Non-profit and for-profit licensed child care or early learning providers, including family child care providers, are eligible as long as they are a registered business operating in good standing in the State of Rhode Island and meet the following criteria:
- Approved by DHS to reopen on or before August 17th, 2020 under the new COVID-19 Child Care Licensing Regulations and commits to remaining open beyond December 2020.
- Provides information on all pursuits of federal aid/funding (such as SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan funding or Paycheck Protection Program loan funding). Child Care Provider Relief Fund grants may NOT be used if proposed use has already been or will be reimbursed under any other federal program. There can be no double-dipping of federal funds.
- Participates in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), or demonstrates a commitment to accepting CCAP in the future (submits an application at the time of request).
- Participates in the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, BrightStars (or commits to participating in the future, and submits an application at the time of request).
- Is a registered business with the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
- Can provide the most recent 2 years of approved business financials (independent audits, account reviews, or tax returns) and a current, year-to-date financial statement if/when requested.
- Can comply with any relevant project and financial reporting requirements, including necessary backup required to document expenses incurred.
- Can provide a Data Universal Numbering System, or “DUNS,” number for the entity applying.
Selection Criteria
In addition to the eligibility requirements and identified priorities outlined above, the selection will also be based on:
- The clarity and completeness of the application;
- The applicant’s demonstrated ability to carry out the project in a timely manner;
- An assessment prior to the final decision to award funding, either done by phone, virtual meeting or on-site;
- The availability of funding. The decision for acceptance of an application will be made at the discretion of LISC’s Rhode Island Child Care and Early Learning Facilities Fund in partnership with DHS.
For more information, visit https://riccelff.org/news/child-care-provider-relief-fund/