Yes, all paid employees of a licensed child care facility are eligible to apply. This includes support staff who may not directly work with children but still have a critical role in operations of the child care facility such as drivers, cooks, secretarial/administrative, and other paid positions within the licensed child care facility. Volunteers and contractors who are not paid employees of the child care facility are not eligible to apply.

In a child care center a caregiver may be at least 16 years of age. In a Family Child Care (FCC) or Group Home a caregiver must be at least 18 years old. 

You are eligible to apply if you:
1. Are a current/active member in the Alaska SEED Registry.
2. Are currently employed as a paid employee of a licensed or approved child care facility.
As such, individuals working in a military program licensed by the Department of Defense are not eligible.

Licensed Definition: Licensed Child Care Provider, who is licensed by the State of Alaska, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) or the Municipality of Anchorage, Child Care Licensing (CCL).

Approved Definition:  Approved Provider, who is approved by the State of Alaska, Child Care Program Office (CCPO) Child Care Assistance (CCA) Program as an Approved Relative Provider, or an Approved In-Home Provider.

To confirm a child care facility is licensed by CCPO or CCL, please use the “Find a Child Care Provider” at State Of Alaska.

If the applicant is no longer working as a paid employee of a licensed or approved child care facility at the time of payment, they are no longer eligible for the 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award.

Alaska SEED will communicate with applicants by email. Please check your email regularly, to include the junk folder, to ensure timely receipt of communications from Alaska SEED.

Applicants will receive an automated email confirmation. The email will confirm that the 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award application has been accepted. This email will also include a copy of the accepted 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award application. Please check your email inbox, as well as the junk and spam folders. Please keep a copy of this confirmation email for your records.

Alaska SEED will notify applicants who do not qualify or who are denied a 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award when the application and/or IRS Form W-9 were incomplete past any deadline that was provided to follow up on these items.

Alaska SEED will not send notifications to applicants who qualify for the 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award and who have submitted a completed application and IRS Form W-9. Please refer to your email confirmation on application delivery.

Please apply just one time. Immediately after you submit your application, you will receive an automatic confirmation email. Follow these steps to ensure your application is submitted and received:

• Check your email inbox or junk email for a verification email from Alaska SEED.
• Open the email.
• Save this confirmation for your records.

Alaska SEED will contact the applicant by email to follow up on incomplete applications and/or IRS Form W-9s. Applicants will be provided with a deadline by which the 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award application and/or IRS Form W-9 must be completed.

Failure to follow up by submitting the requested information and/or documents by the deadline provided will result in closure of the application and no 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award payment will be sent.

Yes. Alaska SEED needs a completed and signed W-9 to approve your application. If your W-9 is incomplete or is not attached to your application, Alaska SEED will contact you directly.

If your W-9 is incomplete, you will need to resubmit it. Please follow these steps to ensure your information is accurate:

• Download the W-9 form here and save it to your computer.
• You are considered an individual when using this form. Remember to complete the form with your personal information, using your first and last name and your social security number.
• Follow the instructions on the W-9 form and complete the following sections:
  • 1: Name
  • 3: Select “Individual/sole proprietor or single-member LLC”
  • 5: Address (must match personal mailing address on 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Application)
  • 6: City, State, Zip
  • Part I: Social Security Number
  • Part II: Signature & Date
• Attach a completed and signed W-9 form to your application.

Watch this video for assistance.

Be sure to complete the following sections of the IRS Form W-9:

1: Name

3: Select “Individual/sole proprietor or single member LLC.”

5: Address (please use personal mailing address)

6: City, State, Zip

Part I: Social Security Number

Part II: Signature & Date

The 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS award is taxed as income. Taxes are not taken out upon distribution. Recipients are responsible for claiming the Alaska SEED ROOTS award when they file their income taxes for 2024 and paying any applicable tax.

If you receive this award, it is considered personal income for 2024. Please check with the IRS, an accountant, or a tax specialist to understand your personal tax implications.

To estimate your taxes or prepay, visit the IRS website.

• Pay as You Go, So You Won’t Owe Guide
• Estimating Taxes
• Tax Withholding Estimator

Payments for the 2024 Alaska SEED ROOTS Award are being processed. We appreciate your patience as we work diligently to get out the ROOTS awards. We want to be transparent that due to extending the deadline for application submittal, they will not all be out by March 31^st. Our dedicated staff are working tirelessly to expedite the process. Your understanding and continued patience are truly valued as we strive to get your checks to you as quickly as possible.

Yes. You can submit a formal appeal. To submit a formal appeal, please send an email to roots@seedalaska.org using “2024 ROOTS Appeal” in the subject line. Appeals must be submitted no later than May 31, 2024, and should include (1) reason for appeal (2) applicable documentation to support your appeal. Appeals will be reviewed by a committee. This process may take several weeks. Submission of an appeal isn’t a guarantee that a 2024 ROOTS Award will be issued.

Yes. All applicants who apply to join the Alaska SEED Registry must be 16 years old and working or learning in the early childhood and/or school-age profession to be eligible.

To confirm your membership status in the Alaska SEED Registry, please refer to your most recent Alaska SEED Career Ladder certificate for your expiration date.

If your Alaska SEED Registry application is complete and in review by the Alaska SEED team, you can apply for the Alaska SEED ROOTS Award.

You will receive an email notification that Alaska SEED has received your Alaska SEED Registry application. Alaska SEED Registry applications are being processed as usual, within 30 business days in the order they are received.

Yes. You may apply for both the Alaska SEED Registry and 2024 ROOTS Award at the same time.

A $33 stop payment fee will be deducted when a replacement check must be issued for lost or misplaced checks or checks which are undeliverable when an incorrect mailing address is supplied.

$7.5 million was added to the FY24 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) Alaska State budget to increase wages for child care professionals and stabilize child care operations in the state of Alaska.