Child Care COVID-19 Grant Program

Update: The application period has ended. Applications are currently being reviewed. If you applied you will receive notification of your grant award by September 11, 2020.

What can I use the grant funds for?

The grant funds can be used to help cover a variety of expenses during the COVID-19 crisis including: 

• salaries and benefits for employees
• DHS licensing fees
• liability insurance
• tuition and registration relief for families (grant funds cannot be given to families directly)
• lease and mortgage payments, utilities
• cleaning supplies
• classroom materials
• additional equipment and supplies recommended or required by CDC and DHS guidelines 

All expenses must be to help child care providers with operational costs to safely remain open or reopen to provide child care to Arizona’s families.

Who is eligible for grant funds?

Eligible Applicants include: 
DHS Licensed Centers, DHS Group Homes, DES Family Child Care Providers, Tribal Child Care Providers, and Military Child Care Providers.  

• Applicants must apply to receive funds
• Applicants must agree to the Grant Program terms
• Applicants must be open or planning to open and provide child care services no later than September 30, 2020 (this does not include temporary closures of 14 days or less)  
• Applicants must be in good standing with DHS, DES, and/or the Tribal or Military regulation authority.

When do the grant funds need to be expended?

The funds must be spent by no later than 30 days after the last month grant funds were distributed.

How can I apply for the Child Care Grant Program?

Beginning August 12, 2020, providers will need to apply for the Child Care COVID-19 Grant Program.  

Please make sure you have:

• Your DHS license number (i.e. CDC xxxxx or SGH xxxxx) if you are a DHS licensed child care facility or certified group home
• Your DES provider identification number (i.e. P00xxxxxx) if you are a DES Certified Family Child Care home or a DHS licensed child care facility or certified group home contracted with DES and receiving child care subsidy billing and reimbursements 
• Your Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) 
• A completed State of Arizona Substitute W-9 & Vendor Authorization Form (GAO-W-9)
  • NOTE: Only applicants that are not contracted with DES Child Care Administration, will need to submit the W-9 form

Application will only be accepted from August 12, 2020 to August 28, 2020

What are the qualifications to receive the Child Care Grant?

Applicants must apply to receive funds. Grants are not competitive, meaning if a child care provider submits a complete application, is eligible, and agrees to the Grant Program terms, they will receive funding. This Grant Program would provide a base award calculated utilizing a per child rate of $300 for each enrolled child who was enrolled at the child care placement and attended at least one day of care in January 2020. Exceptions to the January 2020 utilization will only be made if the provider did not open until after January 2020. Facilities located in rural counties (any county outside of Pima and Maricopa counties) will receive an additional incentive of $1,000 added to the total of the grant award. Enrollment in a Quality First Program or a DES recognized accreditation program will receive an additional incentive of $1,000 added to the total of the grant award.  In addition, providers who elect to become DES contracted, if they are not currently contracted with DES will receive an additional $50 per child served.

If a child care provider is currently closed they must agree to open and provide child care services no later than September 30, 2020 (this does not include temporary closures of 14 days or less).

Note: Providers must be in good standing with DES, DHS and/or current tribal or military monitoring agencies. 

What is considered good standing?

DHS In Good Standing: 
A person or organization in good standing is regarded as having complied with all of their explicit obligations while not being subject to any form of sanction or disciplinary action.

What if I did not provide child care services in January 2020?

Exceptions to the January 2020 utilization will only be made if the provider did not open until after January 2020. 

If you opened your program after January 2020 please send an email to [email protected] and provide your open date along with your first months utilization.

What if I cared for more children in recent months then in January 2020?

No exceptions will be made for increased enrollments after January 2020. Exceptions will only be made if the provider did not open or had a change in ownership after January 2020. In our analysis of the month of January, we found it was the most beneficial month of usage.

What is the requirement and definition of “open and provide child care services”?

A child care provider must abide by their planned hours of operation as reported to DHS (or their applicable licensing agency). Providers are allowed temporary closures that are aligned with COVID-19 guidance. Any closures that exceed 14 days must be reported to [email protected]. (this does not include state recognized holidays and pre-planned holiday closures that families are aware of).

What If the metrics have not been met in my area for reopening by September 30, will this date be pushed back?

Many child care providers have been able to safely remain open throughout the pandemic. Child care was defined as an essential service in Executive Order 2020-12 (Prohibiting the Closure of Essential Services), and over 500 child care providers have continued to offer safe child care services as an Arizona Enrichment Center between March and August 2020, serving more than 5,000 families of critical health care and essential workers. 

While we are well aware of the challenges caused by remaining open during a pandemic, child care providers are encouraged to consider the recommendations and guidance for mitigating risk that have allowed  providers to safely continue operations and serve families. With the Enrichment Center program ending August 31, and the COVID-19 Grant Program beginning in September, it is critically important that child care continues for Arizonans.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Safely Returning to In-Person Instruction guide (August 2020) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Roadmap for Reopening Schools (June 2020), provides LEAs and schools the guidance necessary to create plans to reopen schools while reducing the risk of transmission among students and staff. The ADHS benchmarks are intended as guidance to be considered by public schools to determine when it is safe to return to in-person instruction, in consultation with Local Health Departments.  The guidelines do not specifically apply to licensed child care facilities. A public local education agency (school district, school or charter school) that provides on-site child care will likely be asked by their district to follow their school guidelines and procedures.

Do I need to be operating at full licensed capacity to be eligible?

Providers must be open and providing child care by September 30, 2020 but do not need to operate at a fully licensed capacity.

What are the DES approved accreditation agencies?

• American Montessori Society (AMS)
• Association for Christian Schools International (ACSI)
• Association for Early Learning Leaders
• Association Montessori Internationale (AMI/USA)
• Council on Accreditation (COA)
• National Association for The Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• National Early Childhood Program Accreditation (NECPA)
• Council for Professional Recognition (CDA)
• National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC)

Is a provider required to service children of families accessing state subsidies to be eligible?

No.

Is there a deadline to apply for this grant?

Yes, the grant application is available from August 12, 2020 to August 28, 2020.

How will a provider be notified?

Providers will receive an email with a notification of grant approval/denial and grant award amount by September 11, 2020.

How long will it take to receive grant funding?

Grant awards payments will be distributed starting September 15, 2020.

Grant award payments will be distributed in 3 increments:

• 50% of award paid on September 15, 2020
• 25% of award paid on October 15, 2020
• 25% of award paid on November 16, 2020

Are the grant funds taxable?

Yes.

Do the funds have to be spent within a certain timeframe?

Yes. The funds must be spent by no later than 30 days after the last month grant funds were distributed.

Do providers need to save and submit receipts associated with this grant?

Providers must save all receipts and documentation associated with the spending of this funding and may be asked to submit this documentation in the future.

When do I submit the monthly report?

The monthly report portal will be open on the 1st business day of the month, and will remain open until the 5th business day of the month. Reporting will start on October 1, 2020, and will occur again on November 2, 2020, and December 1, 2020. Final grant reporting will occur end of December.

If a provider has multiple sites does each site have to apply for the grant funding?

Yes.

I’m a Non-Certified Relative Provider (NCRP), do I qualify?

No, only DHS Licensed Centers, DHS Group Homes, DES Family Child Care Providers, Tribal Child Care Providers, and Military Child Care Providers are eligible for this grant program.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

Please contact the Child Care Grant mailbox at [email protected] with any questions about the application, payment process, monthly reporting, and spending receipts.