Licensed Childcare Expansion

CCCF has partnered with Chaffee County Board of Commissioners and the Chaffee County Early Childhood Council to invest in the expansion of licensed childcare in Chaffee County.

A Collaborative Approach Born of Crisis

Problem:

Chaffee County is lacking licensed early childcare spots. The county needs an estimated 488 additional spots to serve the number of children currently under the age of 5. Chaffee County’s early childcare workforce is facing severe shortages. Most centers experience a 40% staff turnover rate (normal is 18%). Qualified substitutes are hard to find.

Community-based centers lack the capital to invest in childcare spot expansion that has upfront costs. A network of funding from state and private sources exists, but often requires reimbursement, programs to be in existence, or includes strings that involve additional expenses.

Existing Resources:

Voters approved BOCC to dedicate up to 60% of its lodging tax to affordable housing, early childhood education and other initiatives to enhance the visitor experience.

  • Chaffee County Early Childhood Council: Provides a variety of supports to centers, educators, and creates a conduit to access state funded programs locally.

  • Chaffee County Community Foundation: Offers grant making services and provides supports to nonprofit organizations.

Investment in childcare growth has potential to leverage 4X the funds from local and state sources.

Proposed Solution: A Comprehensive Early Childcare Expansion Plan for Chaffee County

Invest in the Childcare Workforce:

  • Dedicate County funding to create and administer an early childhood training program to increase the number of qualified substitutes and foster the pipeline to permanent growth in the early childcare educator workforce.

  • $100,000 annually has the potential to increase qualified early childcare workforce by 30% over the next five years.

Invest in Community-wide Childcare Expansion:

  • Dedicate funding to an Emerging Centers Grant to create a competitive grant process for local centers to fill the capital gap that exists locally for spot expansion.

  • Up to $250,000 annually has the potential to increase licensed childcare spots by 26% over the next five years.

2024 Childcare Expansion

The Chaffee County Board of Commissioners approved $100,000 in funding for the pilot year of the Childcare Expansion program with $75,000 dedicated to the launch of the substitute pipeline and $25,000 dedicated to a grant program for licensed childcare centers to invest in the professional development and credentialing of their existing workforce, setting the stage for future growth of licensed childcare spots. Private and individual funders have generously contributed to the Early Childcare Fund to expand the reach of the professional development grants.

Childcare Workforce Expansion:

The Chaffee County Early Childhood Council launched the substitute pipeline program in 2024. Visit www.ccecc.org for more information.

Grant Opportunities:

Childcare Workforce Investment Grants: Licensed early childcare centers serving Chaffee County residents can apply for grants of between $2,000 to $10,000 per center per rolling calendar year to advance the professional development and retention of qualified staff members.

  • Funding: Up to $75,000 available July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2026.

  • Applications: Accepted on a rolling basis

Mission: Invest in the expansion of licensed childcare spots in Chaffee County by creating opportunities for professional development for the early childhood center workforce. 

Eligibility: 

Licensed early childcare centers serving Chaffee County residents can apply for grants of between $2,000 to $10,000 per center per rolling calendar year to advance the professional development and retention of qualified staff members. The applicant should describe in their budget how the funds will be used to promote the professional development of their staff with the long term goal of ensuring the staff team has the proper credentials, training, and support to expand and retain licensed spots at their center. Examples for funding use could include but are not limited to staff stipends or salaries to complete training during work hours, costs associated with substitutes, staff incentives or bonuses for completing training, or other costs the center identifies in advancing the professional development of their staff.

Projects that can show a direct connection between the professional development and potential expansion of licensed childcare spots will receive priority.

Application Process:

  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 

  • Applications are reviewed by CCCF and CCECC staff for basic eligibility (see criteria below).
    Applicants are notified of the decision within six weeks of applying and awarded applicants will receive funds within 2 weeks of completing the grant agreement and required documentation.

  • Awardees complete a restricted grant agreement for the professional development activities described in their application.

  • Awardees submit a report 12 months after receiving funds.

FAQs

  • Can I apply for professional development for more than one staff member? Yes. Ideally your application will outline how professional development will impact your entire staff team.

  • Can I apply as an individual educator? No. The applicant must be a licensed childcare center.

  • Can I apply for professional development that does not directly relate to our ability to serve more children or retain qualified staff? No. The purpose of this grant is to increase the capacity of our local childcare workforce. 

  • Will the grant cover different staff members pursuing different types of professional development? Yes. Your professional development strategy should meet the needs of your center. 

  • What if our professional development plan exceeds 12 months? You should indicate your timeline in your application. Multi-year projects are allowed. Applicants will not be eligible to apply again until their project is completed. 

  • Can I submit multiple applications? Each eligible organization can submit one application at a time. Once the funds have been fully expended, an organization is eligible to submit another application. Additional funding will be dependent on available funds. 

Grant Payment Procedures:

  • Organizations are encouraged to enroll in automatic payments through a secure ACH process for timely receipt of grant funding. Please download the Blank ACH Form and return to CCCF along with a voided check to enroll.

  • For further information regarding CCCF grants, please contact us at admin@chaffeecommunity.org or 719-204-5107.