Anchorage, Alaska; thread, Alaska’s Statewide Child Care Resource and Referral organization, is proud to announce it has been awarded the contract to implement the Anchorage Child Care and Early Education (ACCEE) Fund Sector Stimulus Program. This major initiative, funded by the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA), will provide $2.3M in critical operational support to child care and early education programs throughout the MOA.
With over three decades of statewide leadership in early childhood education, thread will design and administer this new program named, Steady Child Care: Municipality of Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Sector Stimulus Program, to help stabilize, sustain, and grow high-quality child care programs. The initiative aims to address the ongoing financial challenges faced by early child care programs by offering targeted grant payments to support daily operations, staffing, and infrastructure needs.
“We are honored to continue serving the early education sector through this new initiative in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage and the new Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund,” said Stephanie Berglund, Chief Executive Officer of thread. “Access to affordable, high-quality child care is essential to Alaska’s families and
workforce. This program will strengthen the sector, support the critical needs of child care small businesses, and generate a positive ripple effect across our local economy.”
thread’s responsibilities include providing stimulus payments to qualifying child care and early education programs. To issue grant payments, thread will provide a transparent and accessible application process, conduct community outreach, offer technical assistance, and collect critical data to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.
This new initiative aligns with thread’s ongoing commitment to stabilizing the child care sector and improving access to child care for families. It builds on years of strategic partnerships with the MOA, State of Alaska, Mat-Su Health Foundation, and others.
This new program is one of three major Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund initiatives the MOA is supporting this year. The other initiatives include a child care subsidies program ($1.25M) and funding via a Request for Grant Proposals for innovative pilot projects and capital funding ($2M). Learn more here: www.careforkidsanchorage.com
What’s Next for Child Care and Early Education Programs:
In June, thread will launch an online application, accompanied by a detailed webpage, eligibility criteria, technical assistance support, and community outreach through email, social media, and blog posts. Awards for 2025 are expected to be distributed starting in August. Child care programs will also be invited to complete a survey to help shape future sector investments and improvements.
thread is committed to ensuring that every aspect of this program supports child care programs and strengthens the long-term sustainability of early childhood education in Anchorage.