So many times rural communities are like child care deserts, areas where the demand for licensed child care, exceeds the local capacity to provide it.
This lack can create a very limiting factor for working parents who work at businesses that keep a community running smoothly, such as health care, education, elder care, and local industry.
The Patterson Family Foundation of Kansas City is launching a grant program for child care centers run by public school districts and nonprofit community-based organizations. The funding will help organizations preparing to open new child care centers, as well as existing child care centers that would like to increase capacity, ages served or hours of operation. Organizations must be a licensed child care center or have a temporary operating permit to be eligible for this grant.
Public school districts and nonprofit community-based organizations may request funds for short-term operational needs, training and certification needs, and/or minor capital needs aimed at expanding or enhancing child care access. This programs goal is to increase the capacity and number of licensed child care centers in rural communities.
Applications opened on June 26 and must be registered by July 19 with the applications closing on July 30.
NOTE: Patterson Foundation understands that some public school. Districts may need approval from their school board to apply for grant funding. If your school board’s schedule does not align with the Patterson application deadline, please contact them at pattersonfamilyfoundation.org
