Pritzker Announces $270 Million Grant
Program for Childcare Providers
First in the Nation Program to Help
Restore Child Care in Illinois Through COVID-19 Pandemic
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[September 15, 2020]
Joined by childcare providers, local officials,
and parents during visits to Skip a Long Child Development Services
in Moline and Rock River Valley YMCA Children’s Learning Center in
Rockford, Governor JB Pritzker announced a $270 million Child Care
Restoration grant program, provided for in the FY21 budget passed by
the General Assembly. The first program of its kind in the nation,
this program will support Illinois’ vast network of childcare
providers as they continue to provide care to children across the
state through the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“Strengthening child care is as much about
building a strong economy as it is investing in our young people –
both critical aspects of building an Illinois that truly serves our
working families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Before this pandemic
hit, I promised that Illinois would become the best state in the
nation for raising young children. The path forward has certainly
become more complicated – but our commitment is stronger than ever.”
The Child Care Restoration grant program will dedicate at least $270
million of the state’s Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency
(CURE) Fund to support the economic health of childcare providers as
the state’s economy continues to reopen in the coming weeks and
months. As part of CURE, the Business Interruption Grants (BIG)
Program is specifically designed to support businesses who endure
lost revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Earlier today, the governor joined U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos,
Representative Mike Halpin, Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri, and other
stakeholders at Skip a Long in Moline to make the announcement. The
Governor and Congresswoman Bustos were then joined by State
Representative Maurice West, State Senator Steve Stadelman, and
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, in Rock River Valley YMCA Children’s
Learning Center in Rockford.
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The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity,
in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services, is
charged with developing the grant program for licensed childcare
providers. The Child Care Restoration Grants will be administered by
the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA).
The “Intent to Apply” survey launched today and is available online
HERE. The information gathered will help to inform the development
of the grants program to be released in July 2020 and providers will
receive their first installments later this summer. The opportunity
to respond to the survey will close on June 19, 2020 at 5:00 pm.
The state has made significant investments in its vast childcare
network during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as implementing a simple
waiver process to allow providers to be paid for all of their
enrolled children in the Child Care Assistance Program for March
through June, so that child care staff could continue to be paid as
normal through this unprecedented period. The state also increased
the CCAP money that emergency center providers receive for each
child.
[Office of the Governor JB Pritzker] |