Sunday, December 9, 2007

There Are No Grant Programs For For-Profit Daycares - This Is Another Myth!

This myth probably got started because people were having such a hard time finding any kind of grant programs for a for-profit daycare business.

Just because these kinds of grant programs seem hard to find - that doesn't mean that they aren't out there - they are just hard to find. And sometimes they are not that hard to find IF you know where to look at!

While researching for some grant programs for a for-profit daycare I came upon one state grant program for daycares. It provides grant money for:

  • • New programs that have been open and licensed one year or less


  • Expanded programs that are increasing or expanding the number of children that they are able to care for, according to the state's regulations.

    A child care center has been providing care for children 2 years and older. They
    have now decided to care for children starting at 6 weeks, therefore increasing the number of infants & toddlers they are able to care for.


  • Enhanced programs that are not increasing the number of children they serve, but are asking for funds to enhance/improve the quality of childcare that they are
    currently providing.


The reason why this grant program was started in the first place was to provide more quality daycare in the state.

However while trying to find out more about this daycare grant program I didn't see any mention of whether or not for-profit daycares were eligible to apply. So I emailed the director of the grant program and asked them whether or not for profit daycares could apply for this grant program. A few days later I got an email from the director saying that indeed for-profit daycares could apply as long as they met the eligibility requirements which included:

  • Serve low-income families and accept purchase of Care


  • Be open Monday through Friday until 5:30 p.m. (at a minimum)


While there is no specified minimum or maximum grant award one of the examples cited was a $2,000 grant request for new supplies.

Again this is a statewide grant program that is open for for-profit daycares to apply for as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.

The next deadline to apply for this grant program is:

January 2008!




12/31/07 Update:


Since I wasn't sure whether or not this organization's grant program was open for for profit daycares to apply for, I sent them an email:

I have looked over your on-line materials but I can not find any information relating to whether or not your program is open to for-profit daycare facilities to apply.

Here is an excerpt from the email that they sent back to me:

Rose, Yes, our program is open to for profit child care facilities as long as they meet the criteria.


M~
Grant Coordinator

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