The grant period ended on Friday, April 14th at 5pm.

Applicants will be notified by June 30, 2023.

The IMPROVE Child Care grant is a competitive grant program. Due to the competitive nature of the grant process, thread cannot provide assistance surrounding the project specifics or completing the application.

For technical assistance, the following resources are available:

1. For local governments, contact Alaska Municipal League
2. For private sector organizations, contact Anchorage Community Land Trust
3. For nonprofits who are looking for TA, contact Zoe Olson at Foraker Group

ICCIS stands for Integrated Child Care Information System and is generated by the State of Alaska Child Care Program Office (CCPO). This number can be found on correspondence from the CCPO. It is also the number used for the Child Care Assistance Program.

The number of grants awarded will depend on the submitted proposals.

Approximately $8 million will be awarded between two grant programs: IMPROVE Child Care grant and the Community INNOVATION grant.

Yes. Project budgets are expected to fall within the grant range of $3,000-$50,000, but may be considered outside of this range.

There are two grant opportunities: IMPROVE Child Care grant and the Community INNOVATION grant. Applicants are encouraged to apply for the grant program that best fits the project’s goals, scope and budget, and the grant eligibility guidelines.

If there are multiple goals within the proposed project, please include them together in one project proposal. This is a competitive grant, and proposals will be measured against all received applications within the funds available. Projects may be funded fully, partially, or declined based on the review process.

A program can submit a separate proposal for each location or one proposal that includes the full scope of the project.

The project proposal application will allow applicants to select all funding categories applicable to the project.

Projects may be funded fully, partially, or declined based on the review process.

Applicants are encouraged to be creative within the allowed categories to fulfill the intent of the grant. Information can be found on the program overview for proposal requirements.

Grant funds may not be used for (new) construction, major renovation, land purchase, food, tuition discounts, rent, operating expenses, wages and benefits (including bonuses), fieldtrips and experiences.

Additionally, grant funds will be used for expenses occurring after the award date if project is selected.

No. Major construction is excluded by the funding source. Federal guidelines are here.

Construction means the erection of a facility that does not currently exists.

Major renovation means:

• Structural changes to the foundation, roof, floor, exterior, or load-bearing walls of a facility or the extension of a facility to increase its floor area.
• Extensive alteration of a facility such as to significantly change its function and purpose even if such renovation does not include any structural change.

See the minor renovation question below for more information on what is allowable.

Yes. Minor renovation, including making programs inclusive for children and family members with disabilities. Minor renovations may also include: Upgrading the kitchen to add safe electrical outlets, fixing plumbing fixtures, repainting walls with non-toxic paint, renovating and updating bathrooms (e.g., sink, faucet, toilet, etc.) to ensure age-appropriateness and child safety, replacing cabinets with adequate storage space for each child’s personal belongings, installing rails and ramps that are accessible to individuals with disabilities, updating a sidewalk to provide a safe pathway for children, building or upgrading a playground, replacing fire sprinklers, carbon monoxide detectors, and smoke detection systems, replacing windows or doors, completing a minor roof repair, removing non-load bearing walls to create additional space for social distancing.

The project budget should include all the revenue and expenses for the specific project. Cost estimates or quotes for project work may be submitted with the project budget.

No.

No. Any program that meets definition of eligibility can apply. Eligible programs include:

• Licensed Child Care Center
• Licensed Group Home
• Licensed Family Child Care
• Licensed School-age Center Approved Relative
• In-Home Care/Other (Head Start, Pre-K, Unlicensed, etc.) 

Non licensed programs need to be certified or regulated by the State of Alaska. 

The IMPROVE Child Care grant proposals will be reviewed and evaluated on:

• Overall quality of proposal
• Project design (key activities are clearly described)
• Program need
• Outcome(s) (significant degree of change)
• Sustainability
• Budget (appropriate for scope)

The IMPROVE Child Care grant is for eligible child care programs serving children birth through 12 years old.

No, this grant opportunity is not tax exempt. There may be tax implications for your program/organization/partnership if awarded funding. Please consult with the IRS, an accountant, or tax specialist for guidance.