This broadcast was released by the Child Care Program Office on Sept 23, 2022.
Stabilization Grants and Town Hall Meetings, Plan for Relief Funding
Alaska Division of Public Assistance, Child Care Program Office
Broadcast 09/23/2022
The Child Care Program Office (CCPO) held their quarterly Provider Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, September 20th, 2022. The following is information we shared regarding relief funding and our planning for Phase 3 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) stabilization grants:
Phase 3 Planning
- CCPO will administer the remaining approximate $24M of stabilization grant funds
- This will be the final phase
- The plan is for the application to be made available before the end of the calendar year
- This phase may have a shorter application period, approximately 4 weeks, once the application closes the formula will be finalized, based on the need to ensure the complete amount of the remaining funds are used
- The formula will be based on licensed capacity, per child
- This phase will include a workforce initiative within the grant. There will be an opt in portion for additional grant funding. This additional amount must be spent on the “personnel costs” category of allowable uses. For more information on allowable uses of stabilization grant funds visit: https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/arpastabilizationgrantsuseoffundsst.pdf
- If you opt into the workforce initiative portion, you as a program will have flexibility in how you support your workforce with these funds. That can look like recruitment/retention, increased wages and compensation, benefits, health and wellness for staff, professional development opportunities, etc. The final design of the workforce initiative will be shared with you as it is completed.
Phase 1 Reporting- If you received a phase 1 grant you will soon receive a link to complete the COVID-19 Child Care Phase 1 Stabilization Grant Program Utilization Survey. Your answers to this 10-minute survey will provide important information for required federal reporting and will help thread better serve child care providers in Alaska. Please note that failure to complete this survey may impact your eligibility for future funding opportunities. Your individual responses will be used for official reporting purposes only.
Additionally, thread would like to capture an update of the child care landscape through voluntary surveys occurring soon. This information is important to provide an accurate account of the needs of children in our state. While these surveys are voluntary, they are very important, and we encourage your participation.
Update on Monitoring, Tracking, and Audits-
The CCPO has been working with its federal oversight agency and internal state quality assurance team to discuss what auditing will look like for stabilization grants. The CCPO has also been using tools such as self-assessments and federal technical assistance to guide the process for monitoring and auditing. It will be extremely important to complete the reporting survey on which category you spent your funds. Also, keep any receipts or documents showing your use of these relief funds. During the auditing process your receipts will be your verification for the funding received and the category you report spending it on. The CCPO will work to place minimal burden on providers. This process is not fully developed yet, and when it is, the CCPO will share the information and guidance with you through town halls, broadcasts, FAQ’s. etc.
thread is designing several quality initiatives to support both programs and individuals during this fiscal year. The menu of these initiatives will include options that focus on critical components of a healthy child care system such as supporting new child care programs; health and wellness; social emotional, business practices, infant toddler, and health and nutrition. As a program or individual, you will be able to review the opportunities and apply for the initiative that would best support your program needs. More information to come from thread!
The CCPO appreciates the opportunity to engage with providers at town hall meetings and thanks you for your continuing commitment to Alaska’s children and families.
Child Care Program Office
Phone: (907) 269-4500
Fax: (907) 269-4536
Email: ccpo@alaska.gov