Overview of the Grants
In late 2021, the people of Reno County, Kansas, identified child care as the top priority for local American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. In response, the Hutchinson City Council and the Reno County Board of Commissioners committed a total of $6.2 million in 2022—$1.7 million and $4.5 million, respectively—to improve the local child care system. The United Way of Reno County is managing these funds.
The Reno County Child Care Task Force, made up of seven key organizations and local child care leaders, is guiding how these funds are used. Their goal is to create sustainable and fair child care solutions that support providers, parents, and the local business community.
A total of $2.9 million has been set aside for Retention Grants through 2026. These competitive grants, modeled after the Child Care Aware of Kansas Sustainability Grants, provide funding to help keep licensed child care centers operating in Reno County. The grants focus on preserving quality child care services while collecting data to explore ways to improve efficiency, share resources, and develop new business models. The data gathered will help the task force assess the effectiveness of the ARPA investments and create long-term plans to strengthen child care in the community.
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 $700,000 is available to be awarded in 2024.
- Individual grant awards will be based on a formula listed below.
- 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:
- OPEN Q4 2024 (Oct 2024 - Dec 2024) - Applications accepted between January 1, 2025 and January 31, 2025
- CLOSED Q1 2025 (Jan 2025 - Mar 2025) - Applications accepted between April 1, 2025 and April 30, 2025
- CLOSED Q2 2025 (Apr 2025 - June 2025) - Applications accepted between July 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025
- CLOSED Q3 2025 (Jul 2025 - Sept 2025) - Applications accepted between October 1, 2025 and October 31, 2025
- 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.
Questions?