The New Jersey Department Human Services (DHS) began accepting applications from licensed child care centers and registered family child care homes for grants to help cover the costs of reopening and remaining open during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. Up to $50 million will be available. The awardees must use the funds specifically for COVID-19 related expenses, such as personal protection equipment (PPE), cleaning and sanitation, classroom modifications, air quality and ventilation enhancement, and added staffing costs to meet new COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. The funding is limited to child care providers operating as of October 1, 2020.
For licensed child care centers, the grants will range from $8,000 to $17,000, based on a center’s capacity. For registered family child care homes, up to $2,500 is available. The applicants must describe how they plan to use the funds, and the funding must be spent by December 30, 2020.The grants are being managed by the DHS Division of Family Development and funded through the state’s allocation of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund.
This was reported by the New Jersey Department of Human Services on September 29, 2020.
Contact information: New Jersey Department of Human Services, Post Office Box 700, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0726; Website: https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/staff/email/index.html