LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The state of Indiana is using nearly half a billion dollars in grants to help support childhood education programs.
The $540 million Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization grants will help support child care, education, and out-of-school programs that have experienced increased costs because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the state Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced in a news release Wednesday.
The money will be handed out in two rounds. The first will cover three months of providers' operating expenses — like wage increases, rent, utilities or COVID-19 safety measures — to help them "stabilize their operations and invest in their businesses to build capacity for the future."
The FSSA said the grants are non-competitive and awarded on a rolling basis, so it's encouraging providers to "apply quickly to gain immediate access to funding."
Each facility can get a maximum of $500,000 each to cover personnel costs, employee recruitment and retention, facility fees, facility maintenance or improvements, business support, COVID safety measures, mental health support and more.
Officials said grant amounts are "calculated per child care site, based on each provider's program type, average attendance, staffing costs, quality level and geography."
Funding for the stabilization grants comes from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act.
Child care centers have until Dec. 30 to apply. Applications can be submitted by clicking here.
To learn more about the Build, Learn, Grow grant program, click here.
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