Child care providers are running out of time to apply for additional funding. The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) is holding its seventh round of child care employee bonuses. It will accept grant applications until Wednesday, July 12.
Child care homes and centers must be licensed and in good standing with Alabama DHR before they can apply. They must also have part- or full-time employees who may receive bonus payments.
Faye Nelson is a deputy commissioner with Alabama DHR. She said these grants positively impact child care facilities and their workers, which, in turn, benefit the state as a whole.
“We know that individual providers who apply for the grants are making a commitment to remain open for at least a year after receiving the funds,” she said. “That stabilizes the childcare industry, and it also helps them in their recruitment of employees to bring them on board. If the childcare facilities are closed, it’s hard for people to go to work. When you can stabilize that industry, it helps the overall workforce in Alabama.”
If selected, child care providers will receive $3,000 for each full-time employee and $1,500 for each part-time employee. These grants serve as quarterly bonuses. Once awarded, employees may use the bonuses for personal use.
This round of child care bonuses is part of Alabama DHR’s recent funding expansion. Since last July, the department has doubled its original bonus amounts for all remaining quarters.
“We had the federal funding available through the American Rescue Plan Act, and it enabled us to utilize these funds in a more flexible manner,” Nelson said. “There’s a very tight labor market. We wanted to help our childcare providers be able to compete for employees to help stabilize their businesses and also help to meet the essential needs of the individuals who are employed within their workforce.”
Alabama DHR reports more than 12,100 employees received bonuses for the sixth quarter, a 21% increase from the first quarter.
Nelson said she hopes all licensed providers apply for these funds because it can make a difference in their employees’ lives.
“These funds are making a difference in the lives of the individuals who are receiving them,” she said. “There’s a seasoned employee that was with a childcare center for almost 20 years, and when they received the bonus, one of the comments they made was that it made them fell for the first time like a professional. These funds [are] being described as a deal breaker.”
Providers interested may visit Alabama DHR’s website for grant applications. Applicants will then submit their applications to one of two regional agencies. Licensed providers in and around Montgomery will submit to The Alabama Partnership for Children. Providers in all other areas, including Talladega, Opelika, Huntsville, Fort Payne, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Dothan, will submit to The Talladega Clay Randolph Child Care Corporation. Both organizations work with Alabama DHR and will accept applications by region. Alabama DHR’s Child Division website also provides information on several available programs that provide assistance for families in need.
