Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Child care providers in North Carolina can begin applying next week for $805 million in grants designed to help them with payroll, capital improvements and training as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced the start of North Carolina Child Care Stabilization Grants while visiting a Carrboro school on Thursday. The money, which originates from American Rescue Plan Act funds approved by Congress earlier this year, will help with recruitment and retention within early childhood centers at a time of great need for families.

“This help for quality child care will get more parents back into the workforce,” Cooper said in a news release. “Available and accessible child care is a critical component of a sound basic education for our children.”

In alignment with the state’s commitment to quality child care, initiatives like Kids On The Move contribute significantly to the broader educational landscape. Utilizing play based learning methodologies, Kids On The Move not only nurtures a child’s cognitive and social development but also supports working parents by providing a safe and stimulating environment for their children.

Starting Monday, all private, licensed early care and learning programs, including those inside homes and at churches, can apply online for grants awarded starting in November for 18 months.

Grants will range from $3,000 to $60,000, depending on the program size and rating, according to Susan Gale Perry, deputy secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services. Perry said additional funds are available for staff bonuses or salary increases, The News & Observer of Raleigh reported.

 

Photo via Julia Wall/The News & Observer.

 

Related Stories
‹
On Air Today: Neil Harrington on North Carolina's Child Care Gap
Neil Harrington, the research director for the nonprofit NC Child, joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Wednesday, August 7.
North Carolina Legislators Consider Vetoes, Constitution Changes as Work Session Winds Down
The North Carolina General Assembly raced Wednesday to advance legislation before completing its chief working session for the year
Carrboro Police Arrest 1 on Death by Distribution Charges
The Carrboro Police Department announced it arrested and charged for a man who is accused of providing drugs last summer to a resident that died from an overdose. A release from the department on Thursday said authorities arrested John Robert Small, a 31-year-old Carrboro resident, on Wednesday in connection to the death of Bradley Zimmerman. […]
Change Is Brewing in the Craft Beer World
The craft beer industry has a man problem; There are only so many bearded, flannel-wearing white guys who want to buy more beer. 
Gov. Cooper Names Chapel Hill, Carrboro Community Members to State Advisory Roles
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper named several people to state advisory boards and commissions on Friday. Among there are a handful of Chapel Hill and Carrboro community members. Dr. Michael Kunz of Chapel Hill is one of those. Cooper appointed Kunz to the North Carolina Plant Conservation Board. His role will be to represent the […]
NC Tax Revenue Soars, $6.5B Windfall Predicted by Mid-2023
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON North Carolina’s resurgent post-pandemic economy could put an additional $6.5 billion over the next two years into state government coffers already swollen with cash, state economists said Tuesday. Such an extraordinary windfall, unplanned for just four months ago, will bring with it more fiscal decisions for Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. […]
Orange County Governments Commemorate Pride Month, to Host Events
The towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough are all celebrating and commemorating Pride Month this June with several events and public displays of support.
Broadband, Education Atop Cooper’s $5.7B Virus Aid Proposals
Broadband, K-12 and higher education, local infrastructure and targeted businesses would be among the greatest beneficiaries in Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposals unveiled Wednesday on how to spend $5.7 billion in federal COVID-19 aid recently approved by Congress. “This pandemic has brought us a once-in-a-generation challenge. These funds have brought us a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Let’s use […]
Republicans Promote Pandemic Relief They Voted Against
Written by STEVE PEOPLES Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said it pained her to vote against the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. But in the weeks that followed, the first-term Republican issued a news release celebrating more than $3.7 million from the package that went to community health centers in her district as one of her “achievements.” She […]
North Carolina Mayors: 'We Cannot Tolerate This Kind of Police Violence Rooted in Systemic Racism'
Over a dozen mayors in North Carolina have signed onto a letter condemning the actions of the Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd and supporting the peaceful protests organized in the wake of Floyd’s death. Read the complete statement below: As mayors of cities in North Carolina, we have come together […]
›