The Alabama Department of Human Resource’s childcare grants program ends on Friday, June 16.
The department is hosting its fifth round of task five grants for providers in home and center-based settings. Applications opened May 12.
Providers must be licensed, privately owned and in good standing with the department.
Faye Nelson is the deputy commissioner for Alabama DHR. She said grants may be used for a variety of purposes.
“This particular grant allows a great deal of flexibility for the childcare provider,” she said. “They can utilize it for employee pay, facility maintenance, purchases of classroom materials, cleaning supplies, meals [and] even tuition to assist families.”
But there are some restrictions. Providers may not use the grants for facility renovation, construction or land expansion.
Grant amounts reflect the number of childcare slots a provider has. Childcare slots are the number of children a provider is allowed to care for each day. Grants are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.
This is one of several grants the department has offered for the childcare industry since the pandemic began in 2020.
Nelson said these particular grants will help stabilize the state’s workforce.
“It is making childcare available to working parents,” she said. “As parents are working, you are increasing the workforce. That is one of the main goals of our Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor and the emphasis that comes from the governor, who is trying to get individuals back into the workforce.”
While there is no definitive schedule in place, applicants should receive their grants shortly after their application is approved.
Applications are available online at www.dhr.alabama.gov/child-care/.