Child Care Business Incentive Grants

Funder: Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Geographic Scope: Iowa (Cedar Rapids Metro region mentioned)

Focus Areas:

• Helping employers offer or expand child care options as employee benefits
• Increasing licensed or operational child care slots
• Adding slots to meet new time/day requirements of employees
• Filling currently licensed but unfilled slots for employee benefit

Eligibility Requirements:

• Businesses must have a minimum of 75 employees (or combined minimum of 75 employees within a consortium)
• Must provide 50% of project costs from privately raised or invested dollars
• State of Iowa provides 50% of project costs
• Maximum award cap: $250,000

Award Details:

• Grant awards vary in amount based on project scope
• 50/50 cost-sharing model (private/state)

Geographic Need:

• Linn County is deficient more than 23,815 child care slots
• Statewide need: 350,000 slots

Contact Information:

• Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
• Phone: (319) 398-5317
• Email: economicalliance@cedarrapids.org

Additional Information:

• Examples of successful recipients: True North and To The Rescue
• Program described as "multi-pronged approach" to addressing child care access barriers

Application Process

Timeline:

• Application period is open on a rolling basis
• Previous deadline mentioned: October 17, 2022 at 11:59 AM (historical reference)

Submission:

• Applications submitted through https://iowagrants.gov/outsideStorefrontList.jsp?type=Grant

Support Available:

• Businesses can contact the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance for assistance with applications
• Phone: (319) 398-5317
• Email: economicalliance@cedarrapids.org

Additional Resources:

• More information available at: www.futurereadyiowa.gov/child-care-grants