(APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED) Announcing the Schenectady Foundation Child Care Relief Fund
Child care providers operating in Schenectady County have been immensely impacted by COVID-19. In response to this impact, The Schenectady Foundation established a fund for the distribution of small grants to meet the needs of child care providers. Listed below are the three types of grants for which child care providers can apply.
1 Child Care Provider Stabilization Grant Funds
Although many child care providers operating in Schenectady County have remained open to serve families, providers have had to reduce the number of children they care for to comply with state Department of Health (DOH) and Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) recommendations. To help make up lost income, The Schenectady Foundation funds will be used for Child Care Stabilization grants to help cover costs related to COVID-19. Providers must be open and operating at least 30 days prior to application. Family child care homes and group family child care homes will be eligible for a one-time grant of $3,500 and child care centers would be eligible for a one-time grant of $5,500. Providers will need to submit an application and be in good standing with OCFS. Funding can be used on allowable expenses such as utility payments, rent or mortgage payments for child care programs, staff salaries, cleaning supplies, personal protective gear, supplies to care for children, and other allowable grant items.
2. Incentive to Reopen Child Care Programs Grant
To better serve child care providers who have discontinued operations temporarily due to COVID-19, grants will be awarded as an incentive to reopen. Priority for these grants will be given to providers who are in good standing with OCFS and meet certain criteria, such as committing to reopen within 30 days, participating in health and safety training initiatives, serve low-income children, offer care during non-traditional hours, and/or serve children of essential and emergency workers.
Family child care homes and group family child care homes will be eligible for a one-time grant of $2,000 and child care centers would be eligible for a one-time grant of $3,000. A provider would not be eligible for both the stabilization grant and this grant.
3. Health & Safety Grant
Designed to support all child care programs operating in Schenectady County, this funding will be used to support small grants of $600 to $1,000 for the purchase of materials, activities, and supplies that will help transition to a more socially distant model such as:
Partitions or room dividers for classrooms
Costs of training additional staff to have more teachers/staff
Additional supplies for socially distancing (separate art materials etc.)
Supplies for cleaning/sanitation for programs
If you are a child care provider in Schenectady County and are interested in applying for one of the above-listed grants, fill out and submit the application below or print the PDF application and mail or email to Abbe Kovacik at Brightside Up, Inc. 91 Broadway, Menands, NY 12302 | akovacik@brightsideup.org. Please read the application carefully and answer all questions. If you still have questions – don’t hesitate to call at 518-426-7181 ext. 323. We are happy to chat.
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Schenectady County child care providers are eligible to apply.