CCPO Broadcast: Child Care Relief Funding Update

June 20, 2022

This broadcast was released by the Child Care Program Office on June 15, 2022.

Stabilization Grants and Town Hall Meetings, Plan for Relief Funding

Alaska Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office

The Child Care Program Office (CCPO) held their quarterly Provider Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. Following is information we shared regarding the three phases of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stabilization grants:

  • Phase 1
    • Used approximately $4.5M of stabilization grant funds.
    • Application opened beginning September 1 and closed December 31, 2021.
    • Received 398 eligible applications.
    • Expenditure reporting from those who received phase 1 grants will begin soon. The CCPO will notify providers when the requirement begins.

  • Phase 2
    • Used approximately $15M of stabilization grant funds.
    • Application opened January 26 and closed June 1, 2022.
    • Received 397 applications and processing is still underway.

  • Phase 3 Planning
    • CCPO will administer the remaining $20M of stabilization grant funds.
    • This will be the final phase, occurring in winter of 2022/2023.
    • Phase 3 may have a shorter application period.
    • Will utilize a per child formula.
    • Due to the timeline of the liquidation of the funds and need to use the remaining ARPA stabilization funding, amount of the payments may be dependent on the total applications received.
    • Will include a workforce initiative within the grant. The design will be shared as it is completed.

  • Feedback utilized in planning
    • Stabilization funds need to be liquidated by 09/30/2023, and providers expressed a preference for multiple payments over this time period.
    • Feedback from phase 1 allowed us to distribute larger amounts of the funding for future phases.
    • Providers expressed an interest in payments based on a per child formula. Phase 2 used a formula that pays per child based on licensed capacity. We are planning to continue using a similar formula for phase 3.

As mentioned, reporting on how Phase 1 stabilization funding was spent will occur soon. CCPO will provide information to you soon about this requirement for those providers who received phase 1 grants.

Additionally, thread would like to capture an update of the child care landscape through a voluntary survey this summer. Their hope is to gather data on the current needs of child care following the first 2 phases of stabilization and get an updated picture of the current child care landscape for Alaska. This information is important to provide an accurate account of the needs of children in our state and your participation is greatly appreciated.

We appreciate the opportunity to engage with providers at our town hall meetings and thank you for your continuing commitment to Alaska’s children and families. 

Read thread’s Stabilizing Child Care for a Thriving Alaska blog, posted June 1.