Application Guide: Eligibility
Introduction
Funding
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Scoring, Funding, and Reporting
Who is eligible?
This opportunity is available for providers that have recently expanded capacity to serve children or plan to expand soon. Both home-based and center-based child care businesses are eligible to apply for funding if they plan to expand the capacity of their existing child care business or open a new child care business, on or after March 1, 2022, and will meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Located within a pre-defined child care desert (determined by location zip code) (APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022);
- Operating in a documented partnership with an employer or consortium of employers to provide care for their employees’ children; (APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first); and/or
- Increasing capacity for, or ability to serve, more infants (0-17 months). (APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022) *conversion of existing child care slots to infants slots is allowable.
Therefore, child care businesses that are converting existing child care slots to serve more infants will be eligible for this initiative.
Eligible Participants
Child Care Desert
Providers who are increasing the availability of child care within a child care desert are eligible to apply. A child care desert is defined in Texas Labor Code §302.0461(b)(2)(A)(i) as an area where the number of children younger than six years of age who have working parents is at least three times greater than the capacity of licensed child care providers in the area. A provider’s location zip code is used to determine if they are within a child care desert. Program locations must be physically located within one of the zip codes on this list. Businesses that are not located within a child care desert but are serving children who reside within a child care desert will not be eligible. Applicants must prove their child care desert status prior to receiving funding by supplying a deed, mortgage, utility bill or other documentation showing that the business is located within a TWC child care desert. APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022
Employer Partnership
Child care providers that are opening or expanding care in partnership with a local employer (or consortium of employers) are eligible to apply. To be considered eligible for funding within this category, providers must have a written agreement with at least one local employer that will result in the increase in the availability of licensed care. Such agreement must describe the child care program’s services (including ages served, and other details of the program), location (including relation to employer's location such as onsite, near-site or in community), the projected need of the families employed at the local business(es) in the partnership (such as the number of families and/or children the employer has identified who are in need of care), if the employer will financially support the partnership, and both a start and an end date of the agreement. To be valid, the agreement must be signed by all parties. Applicants must prove their employer partnership status prior to receiving funding by supplying a copy of this signed agreement. APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH NOVEMBER 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted, whichever comes first
Infant Care
Providers who are increasing infant capacity across the State will also be eligible to apply. In this case, a program’s overall licensed capacity does not have to increase with the addition of the infant slots. For example, providers who are converting existing child care slots to infant slots will be considered eligible. Providers must demonstrate a plan, and ability to serve more infants, should they choose to convert. Applicants must demonstrate their ability to serve more infants according to the following:
Existing Centers – attest to the increase in infant care, indicate proposed infant increase in your application and upon completion, submit an updated child care license with new licensed infant capacity
Existing Home-based programs -home based providers must attest to the increase in infant care and remain in ratio with licensing requirements.
New businesses – all new businesses must attest to their proposed intent to add infant care.
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022
Special Considerations
Businesses that closed and reopened or changed ownership at the same location may be eligible to apply if they meet the following requirements:
- Closed and reopened at the same location:
- Business was closed for at least 6 months
- Owner or corporate officers did not receive CCRF 2022 payments for that location
- Business is located within a child care desert, operating in an employer partnership, or serving infants 0-17 months.
- Business was closed for at least 6 months and/or increased capacity.
- Changed ownership at the same location
- Newly purchased business does not contain the same owners or corporate officers as the previous business
- New owners or corporate officers did not receive any 2022 CCRF payments for that location
- New business is located within a child care desert, operating in an employer partnership, or serving infants 0-17 months.
- New business is increasing capacity from the prior under the previous ownership.
For more information on understanding eligibility for the Child Care provider Expansion Initiative, please watch our video on the topic or email expansion@civstrat.com with any questions.