Business Oregon Child Care Infrastructure Fund Program

Business Oregon is requesting applications for the Child Care Infrastructure Fund Program. Donor Name: Business Oregon State: Oregon County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/30/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 5-10 Years Details: This program is a public investment in overcoming constraints and incentivizing the development and expansion of early learning and care resources. The resulting high quality child care outcomes of this funding aim to further the wellbeing of children, promote economic growth, increase jobs for the care and construction workforce, and enable parents to participate in the labor force.  Projects eligible under this Program are restricted to fixed, immovable assets including new construction, repairs, renovations, modernizations, retrofitting, property acquisition and planning projects. Prioritization While all eligible entities are encouraged to apply, this Program will prioritize funding for the following types of programs and projects: Culturally specific organizations or early learning programs Programs expanding or creating new child care slots Programs expanding or offering infant and toddler care Programs in the most severe child care deserts, using state child care desert data Programs that offer extended hour care Programs that accept subsidies such as Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) Programs that operate full day (at least six hours per day), and full year (approximately 136 hours a month or 1,632 hours a year) Additional areas that will add strength to an application include: Degree to which child care slots are created or preserved; Impact on licensing or health and safety of children; Ability to demonstrate project Readiness to Proceed; Ability to demonstrate overall Program Sustainability. Funding Information Planning Projects (awards up to $75,000). Minor Renovation and Repairs (awards between $20,000 and $100,000). New Construction or Major Renovation (awards between $100,001 and $2,000,000). Real Property Acquisition (awards between $20,000 and $2,000,000). Grant Period The continued use period for funded child care infrastructure projects will be a minimum of three years but not to exceed ten years. Eligible Projects and Expenditures Examples of eligible projects under the Child Care Infrastructure Fund are: Construction of new child care facilities Renovation, repair, modernization, or retrofitting of existing child care facilities Renovation, repair, modernization, or retrofitting of an existing facility for use as child care Acquisition of real property to be used for child care that will not be used as a private domicile Planning project (non-construction) related to a potential child care infrastructure project, and may include the following eligible activities: A survey, site investigation or environmental action related to a potential child care infrastructure project; A financial, technical or other feasibility report, study or plan related to a child care infrastructure project; or An activity that Business Oregon determines to be necessary or useful in planning for a potential child care infrastructure project. Allowable Grant Fund Expenditures (Spending) The following list provides examples of allowable uses of grant funds. This is not a comprehensive list. Predevelopment and planning costs Architectural drawings and plans Direct project management costs System Development Charges Construction activities and contingencies Water leak mitigation and plumbing Electrical work, earthquake retrofits or fire suppression systems Americans with Disabilities Act or green building standard upgrades Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems that are permanently installed Air purification or filtration systems that are permanently installed Hazard testing and mitigation Demolition Modular units Classroom updates or refresh such as painting Playground and outdoor upgrades that are fixed and immovable Real property acquisition to establish a child care facility that is not used as a private domicile. Eligible Applicants  For the purposes of this Program, an “Eligible Applicant” is classified as at least one of the following criteria:  A certified or registered family child care provider as established in ORS 329A.280 or ORS 329.330  A child care center certified under ORS 329A.280; A non-profit organization that operates a child care facility, including those that are exempt under ORS 329A.430(c)  Federally recognized Indian tribes in Oregon; Organizations that support the expansion or establishment of child care providers;  A school district that meets the 100% match requirement;  Programs funded by the Early Childhood Equity Fund established under ORS 417.781;  Programs that receive subsidies through the Employment Related Day Care subsidy program under ORS 329A.500;  Programs that provide early childhood special education or early learning intervention services, as provided by ORS 343.475; Culturally specific early learning, early childhood and parent support programs as described under ORS 417.782(1);  Municipalities;  Outdoor nature based child care programs;  New child care providers seeking licensure with documentation that their background check has been cleared. For more information, visit Business Oregon.