Welcome to the Childcare Community Task Force Application System. We are proud to consider strengthening your organization through this grant process. These are competitive grants designed to focus, enhance and/or expand an organization’s existing programs and services; or as an investment in a project which is a critical enhancement to the mission of your childcare organization.
Through diverse engagement in late 2021, residents of Reno County, Kansas, identified child care as their top priority for local American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Then, in 2022, Hutchinson City Council committed $1,733,844.61 and Reno County Board of Commission committed $4.5 million to impact the local child care system. The United Way of Reno County was contracted to serve as fiscal sponsor of the combined funds, and it formed the Reno County Child Care Task Force to provide leadership, strategy, and oversight of the funding. The mission of the Reno County Child Care Task Force is to build systematic, sustainable, and equitable child care solutions that will benefit providers, parents, and businesses.
A total of $2.9 million through 2026 is dedicated to Retention Grants, a continuation of the Child Care Aware of Kansas Sustainability Grants and designed to provide unrestricted funding to retain licensed child care facilities in Reno County. Beyond retaining quality child care, a secondary purpose of the Retention Grants is to collect data that will reveal the true cost of care for providers across licensing types. This data will inform potential efficiencies, shared services, and innovative business models to impact child care availability, affordability, and quality, and it will inform how a separate $2.9 million in ARPA funds will be allocated or granted through 2026 for innovation and expansion. All of the information provided will help the Reno County Child Care Task Force track the impact of ARPA funds and generate strategies to support the child care system long-term.
Eligible Applicants
- Permanent and current license through KDHE
- Home, group, and centers, including non-profit and for-profit.
- Care for children 0-5 all-day, all-year, no school age programs. However, you will be asked about school age programs on the application.
- Located in Reno County, Kansas
- Must agree to all requirements.
- 6 months license
Grant Amount
- A total of $362,225 is available to be awarded in 2023.
- Individual grant awards will be based on a formula of $220. per child under twelve in care in the prior quarter
- Funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis.
- Grant checks will be issued 30 days after each submission window closes.
Procedure for Submitting Proposals
- Applications will be accepted on the following timeline:
- Q1 2023 - May 15-June 15 for 1st quarter (Jan-Mar) expenses
- Q2 2023 - July 15-September 1st for 2nd quarter (Apr-June) expenses
- Q3 2023 - October 15-November 15 for 3rd quarter (July-Sept) expenses
- Q4 2023 - January 15-February 15, 2024, 4th quarter (Oct-Dec) expenses.
- Reporting Requirements- Since these grants are reimbursement based there will be no reporting requirements other than providing a detailed budget for this round of funding and we reserve the right to audit the data submitted to ensure accuracy. However, someone on behalf of the Reno County Childcare Taskforce may reach out to you for an impact story on how the dollars helped you and the children you serve.
Contact childcarerenocounty@gmail.com or call 620-669-9329.
Login instructions
All applicants are required to have or create an account to complete and submit your application. Keep your user name and password handy so that you can "save a draft" and return to complete your submission. Also this user name and password will continue to be used for agency reporting and future applications.
- LOGIN HERE (If you already have a user name and password)
- CREATE AN ACCOUNT (New users only - Recommend using your Agency Name as your User Name - watch for an email to set your password, check spam)
- RESET YOUR PASSWORD (if your email has been used previously, you can reset your password)
- LOGOUT (Be sure to log out once you have saved your draft or submitted your application)
- VIDEO (Watch this short video to help get started)
Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Do not leave any blanks; enter N/A if not applicable.
Be sure to click "SAVE DRAFT" frequently, you will be able to return and work on the application as time permits. Be sure to click "SUBMIT" when completed, you will not be able to access completed submission, but you will be sent a copy of your submission.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where do I find Technical Support?
- Call the United Way directly – 620-669-9329
- How can the funds be used?
- We strived to create a grant that allowed space for using funds in an unrestricted manner. This is why you submit after each quarter is over. If you have specific questions about how funds can be used, please contact your accountant.
- I turned in my grant how long before I get a check?
- We will strive to get you a check within 30 days of submission. We do expect a few delays with this first round of funding, as we are working with multiple entities and the internal process could need to be altered along the way.
Q. How much will my grant be?
- Based on CCAKS desired capacity data we have figured out that each child will receive a stipend of $220. per quarter. As a taskforce we absolutely recognize that this is nowhere near what providers need to be sustainable. However, there currently are limited resources. Part of the long-term work and efforts of the Task Force is to collaborate with providers to figure out the support’s providers need and how to sustain this long term within Reno County