PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee has made $19 million in American Rescue Plan Act money available to support the funding of early educator retention bonuses and child care startup grants, The R.I. Department of Human Services announced Friday.
The funding will support two Rhode Island Rebounds child care initiatives, the Early Education Pandemic Retention Bonus Program and Family Child Care Startup Grants. It is expected to benefit about 6,000 early education staff members in child care settings and up to 100 newly licensed family child care facilities.
The effort will provide up to $3,000 in retention bonuses to child care educators and $2,000 for child care startup grants to help spur the opening of child care facilities. The application window for the bonuses opens March 14, while the grant window opens March 28.
“Stable child care is the backbone of our state’s economy because families rely on child care in order to go to work,” said McKee. “We know the child care sector has been hit hard by the pandemic. With this investment, we will support retention of our early educators, who have been on the frontlines throughout this pandemic, and expand family child care capacity so there are more child care seats in our state.”
Health & Human Services Secretary Womazetta Jones said the initiative provides a step toward the state’s commitment to equity for early child care educators, many of whom are working women of color.
“These dedicated essential workers keep our young children educated and safe, while allowing parents to work and stimulate the Rhode Island economy,” she said.
DHS Acting Director Yvette Mendez said the state’s child care providers deserve to receive the funding support, as they have provided crucial support to families during the public health emergency.
“Their contributions to children are immeasurable because they help children develop social, emotional, and communication skills that are so important during the early brain development years,” she said. “We’re thrilled to see these investments go to child care and thankful for the governor and General Assembly’s leadership on this issue.”
The General Assembly approved $119 million on Jan. 4 per McKee’s proposal to expend 10% of the state’s receipt of $1.1 billion in ARPA funding for addressing needs such as child care and human and social services.
Early educators at child care centers earn about $24,000 a year, according to a 2021 Rhode Island Market Rate survey.
To be eligible for the retention bonuses, early educators must have been employed at a child care facility for at least six months. Eligible educators will receive $1,500 stipends in each application window.
Providers seeking Family Child Care Startup Grants may be eligible to receive a $2,000 start-up grant to cover expenses such as insurance, health and safety items, quality improvement items, and repairs. Grant recipients will also receive technical assistance for licensure and to help establish their new small business.
Information about the bonus and grant initiative can be found here. Questions can be directed to: DHS.Child carelicensing@dhs.ri.gov.
Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Contact him at Shuman@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @CassiusShuman.
