Child Care Stabilization Grant Opportunity

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is soliciting applications for the Child Care Stabilization Grant Opportunity (Solicitation Number DPHHS-CCSG22-15), a targeted financial assistance program for licensed and registered child care providers in Montana. The procurement seeks to provide financial support to child care businesses to help them maintain or resume services during the COVID-19 public health emergency, with a specific focus on stabilizing operational capacities. Eligible providers can utilize grant funds for a comprehensive range of operating expenses, including personnel costs (such as benefits, premium pay, bonuses, recruitment, and retention), rent or mortgage payments, facility expenses (utilities, insurance, maintenance, improvements), personal protective equipment, staff training on health and safety practices, COVID-19 response equipment and supplies, and other essential goods and services necessary to maintain or resume child care services. The grant solicitation was posted on April 8, 2022, with applications accepted from 12:00 PM MDT on that date until 11:59 PM MDT on April 15, 2022, with a final due date of April 16, 2022. Evaluation criteria are not explicitly detailed in the provided documentation, but eligibility is contingent upon meeting specific requirements related to licensing, operational status, and good standing.

The grant opportunity is exclusively available to Montana-based child care providers with specific eligibility criteria. To qualify, providers must be licensed or registered by Montana Child Care Licensing, be in good standing, be currently open or temporarily closed due to the pandemic, and be registered with the Montana Secretary of State. While the documentation does not specify precise set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, the grant appears designed to support a broad range of child care providers across the state. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are mentioned in the documentation. The grant is part of a broader stabilization effort to support child care businesses during challenging economic conditions, though the exact total budget or individual award amounts are not specified in the provided materials. The procurement appears to be part of a pandemic recovery initiative aimed at maintaining child care infrastructure and supporting essential service providers during a period of significant economic disruption.