Governor Laura Kelly today announced that Child Care Aware of Kansas, in partnership with Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), is launching a second round of Child Care Sustainability Grants to aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their business.

Grant awards will range from $5,000 for family child care programs to $60,000 for large centers.

“At the height of the pandemic, the Child Care Sustainability grant program supported nearly 3,200 child care centers in Kansas, allowing them to stay open when families needed them most,” Governor Kelly said. “As we grow the economy, this second round of grants will provide the continued support our child care facilities need to stay open and to ensure that Kansas families have access to safe, quality child care.”

“Time and again we heard from child care providers that as families sheltered in place during the pandemic, they were faced with difficult decisions involving staffing, operating expenses and even providing classroom supplies,” Kansas DCF Secretary Laura Howard said. “We are confident the second round of grants will continue to provide needed support to child care providers and offer one less worry for Kansas families.”

The Child Care Sustainability grant application will be available via the Child Care Aware of Kansas website beginning Oct. 1, 2021, and must be received by 5 p.m., Nov. 5, 2021. To be considered for funding, child care programs must maintain an active permanent license with Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whether they remain open or temporarily closed.

Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.

“Child care providers are essential to parents’ ability to work, especially at a time when child care is in such short supply. Financial support from these grants will stabilize our existing child care infrastructure, ensuring that parents have a safe, nurturing environment for their young children,” Kelly Davydov, Executive Director, said.

For more information about the Child Care Sustainability Grants, visit ks.childcareaware.org.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are partnering to expand support for child care providers in this time of great need. Beginning September 1, 2021, the agencies will use funds allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to cover the cost of applying for child care licensure and the cost of required comprehensive background checks for child care program staff. These fees will be waived until September 30, 2023.

For additional information, please contact the KDHE Child Care Licensing Program Team by calling 785-296-1270 or emailing them at kdhe.cclr@ks.gov.

Governor Laura Kelly today announced that, in an effort to improve access to quality, affordable childcare, more Kansas families will now be eligible to take advantage of the Hero Relief Child Care Assistance Program.

First implemented at the beginning of the pandemic to assist essential workers with the costs of childcare, this new round of assistance allows all Kansas workers to take advantage of expanded financial eligibility guidelines.

“Kansas has experienced a record amount of economic activity this year. In order to support our growing economy, Kansans in the workforce need reliable access to quality childcare,” Governor Kelly said. “Expanding the Hero Relief Program helps businesses and parents, and ensures children, our most precious resource, have opportunities to develop in nurturing environments.”

Under the new guidelines, any Kansas worker who makes 250% or less of the federal poverty level is now eligible for childcare assistance. The expansion also includes waiving the family share deduction for essential workers and reducing the deduction for all others. Families also will see an expanded eligibility period from six to 12 months.

The income eligibility chart provides monthly income guidelines for the program:

This program is available to families who need child care for employment as long as the adults in the household are employed an average of 20 hours a week. Some education or training activities also may be supported under the traditional Child Care Assistance Program.

“I am pleased that more families can now take advantage of the Hero Relief Program,” Department for Children and Families Secretary Laura Howard said. “Parents have faced additional challenges because of the pandemic, and it was important to me that we provide meaningful assistance to families.”

For more information and for instructions on how to apply, visit www.KSHeroRelief.com.

Governor Kelly also announced today that DCF, in partnership with Child Care Aware of Kansas, is launching the Child Care Sustainability Grant program to aid child care providers in meeting the costs of operating their business. Nearly $50 million will be distributed through the program, with grant awards ranging from $5,000 for family child care programs to $60,000 for large centers.

This support comes at a critical time for Kansas providers. Many have struggled to stay afloat amid increased costs to provide child care in line with CDC COVID-19 mitigation guidelines and, in many cases, experienced a decrease in revenue due to illness. This funding is intended to give them the assistance needed to continue providing the best quality care for the children in their programs.

“At Child Care Aware of Kansas, we take pride in our ability to support child care providers and are very excited to see this funding become available,” Kelly Davydov, Executive Director, said. “Child care is essential for a thriving Kansas economy. When child care providers operate a safe, happy, nurturing environment, families can feel at peace knowing that their child is in good hands.”

“This grant program is the perfect example of how we can use federal relief dollars to support small businesses,” Governor Kelly said. “I want to thank Child Care Aware of Kansas for partnering in continued efforts to boost access to child care and strengthen our economy.”

The Child Care Sustainability grant application will be available via the Child Care Aware of Kansas website starting July 1, and must be received by July 30, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. All child care facilities that are licensed by and in good standing with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment are eligible to apply. Funds may be used for any normal operational expenses, additional expenses the child care program has due to meeting CDC guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and other activities necessary to maintain or resume the operation of programs.

For more information about the Child Care Sustainability Grants, visit https://ks.childcareaware.org.

Funding for these programs comes from federal relief dollars included in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan.

From the Administration for Children & Families

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Child Tax Credit Awareness Day. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act included historic investments to support low- and middle-income parents who have long faced increasing financial strain, worsened by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Child Tax Credit Awareness Day is meant to ensure that parents know about the ARP Act’s historic expansion of the child tax credit (CTC) and how it will benefit their families.

 The CTC Provides Major Tax Relief for Nearly All Working Families

• All working families will get the full credit if they make up to $150,000 for a couple or $112,500 for a family with a single parent (also called head of household).
• The CTC has been expanded to $3,000 per child ages 6–17 years and $3,600 per child younger than age 6.
• Roughly 39 million households—covering 65 million children (nearly 90 percent of children in the United States)—will automatically receive the new CTC.
• Starting on July 15th and continuing through the rest of the calendar year, payments of $250 per child between ages 6–17 or $300 per child younger than age 6 will be made monthly (via direct deposit for 80 percent of families and through the mail for the others).
• The Internal Revenue Service has launched a simplified online tool that will allow families not automatically enrolled in the program to receive the CTC. For more information, visit ChildTaxCredit.gov.

President Biden’s American Families Plan Calls for Extending the CTC for Years and Years

The new CTC enacted in the ARP Act is only available for 2021. President Biden strongly believes that we should extend the new CTC for years to come, and he proposes to do that in his American Families Plan.

Easy Signup for Low-Income Families To Cut Child Poverty in Half

Low-income families with children are eligible for this crucial tax relief, including those who have not made enough money to be required to file taxes. If a couple makes less than $24,800, a head of household makes less than $18,650, or a single filer makes less than $12,400, and they have not filed their taxes, a simple, easy tool is available to sign up for the CTC. Learn more at ChildTaxCredit.gov.

Help Us Spread the Word

Use June 21st as the occasion to host events, make calls, post on social media to elevate the CTC, or announce future efforts to promote awareness and signups for the CTC. Here are some ways to engage on that day and in the following weeks and months:

• Host or join events or Zoom calls in your district at family centers, houses of worship, community centers, and other places that families visit and pitch the events or calls to local media.
• Write and/or place an op-ed about the importance of the CTC in your regional or local media outlet.
• Participate in a webinar with faith and community leaders to tell them about the CTC and the ways that they can ensure access to the CTC for members of their congregations and communities.
• Partner with school districts, education leaders, and child care centers to share information with parents.
• Raise awareness via social media (e.g., write a post, compose a tweet, partner with an advocacy organization for an Instagram Live event).
• Join local and national broadcasts to discuss the impacts of the CTC.
• Partner with local sports teams to raise awareness of the CTC through their social media channels, events, and other engagements.