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1. What is the Childcare Operation Recovery Grant Program?

The Childcare Operation Recovery Program was created to aid childcare providers in Montgomery County to recover some of the lost revenue due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

2. How much funding has been allocated for the program?

$4,000,000 has been allotted from the County’s federal allocation of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) / The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) funding to establish grant funding for this program.

3. Who is eligible for the childcare grant?

Licensed childcare providers in Montgomery County who experienced loss of revenue due to decreased levels in staffing, reduced enrollments, and closures resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak are eligible to apply.

4. What are the basic eligibility requirements for childcare and before- or after-care providers?

The basic eligibility requirements for childcare and before- or after-care providers include having a physical location in Montgomery County and being licensed by DHS/OCDEL Bureau of Certification.  

5. Is there alternative grant funding if my facility is not licensed by DHS/OCDEL?

No. All provider facilities must hold the mandated certification in order to be recognized as legal childcare providers.

6. How are grant sizes determined for eligible provider groups?

1. Grant sizes are determined based on the license capacity of each eligible childcare facility. A chart detailing this information is provided below.

 

 

Licensed Capacity	Max Award Amounts
≤25	Approximately $2,500.00
26-75	Approximately $5,000.00
76-150	Approximately $10,000.00
>150	Approximately $15,000.00
before- or after-care providers	Approximately $5,000

Please be advised that the total funds awarded to any given provider can be less than the stated max award amount for any given category as determinations are based on the actual monetary financial impact to each facility. For example, if a provider had a loss of $12,500 with a licensed capacity of 155, then they would receive that actual amount rather than the max allocation of $15,000.

7. Are childcare programs for school-aged children also eligible to apply for the grant?

Yes, providers with school-aged programs are eligible to apply for a maximum grant amount of $5,000. 

8. Does a licensed provider have to be in business for a certain length of time to apply?

Although new providers can apply, those in operation on or after March 2020 will get a reduced rate of grant funding calculated at 75% of the eligible funding levels for each licensed capacity designation.  

9. Will the STAR level be a factor in determining grant eligibility?

No. Licensed capacity will be the primary factor along with the review of provider records to determine active status in maintaining the mandated compliance guidelines. 

10. Why is suspension and expulsion data being collected?

In efforts to better understand provider issues and establish a consensus based on overall statistics, this information is being collected as a means of data collection to establish an average baseline of disciplinary action needed at provider facilities.  

 

11. What is the deadline to apply for the Childcare Grant Operation Recovery program?

The deadline to submit the application is December 15th, 2023.