Child Care Stabilization Grant Opportunity

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is offering a Child Care Stabilization Grant opportunity for Montana-based licensed and registered child care providers. This procurement is designed to provide financial support to child care businesses impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency, with the primary goal of helping providers stabilize their operations. Eligible providers can apply for funding to maintain or resume offering child care services, with allowable expenses including personnel costs, rent or mortgage, facility expenses, personal protective equipment, health and safety training, equipment, and COVID-19 related supplies. To qualify, child care providers must be licensed or registered by Montana Child Care Licensing, be in good standing, currently open or temporarily closed due to COVID-19 related reasons, and registered with the Montana Secretary of State. The grant application period is open from August 6, 2022, to August 12, 2022, with providers required to complete their application through the eMACS system and upload a completed and signed application by the August 13, 2022 due date.

The grant opportunity appears to be broadly available to all Montana-based licensed and registered child care providers without specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are mentioned in the documentation. While the specific funding amount is not explicitly stated in the provided materials, the grant is part of a broader stabilization effort to support child care businesses during the ongoing public health emergency. Providers must meet specific eligibility criteria, including maintaining current licensing status and being registered with the state. The procurement is structured to provide flexible funding that can be used across various operational needs, with a focus on supporting the sustainability of child care services in Montana. The grant represents a targeted intervention to help child care providers manage financial challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on maintaining critical early childhood education and care infrastructure within the state.