4 February 2025
In a significant move to enhance childcare services for working families, Indiana’s Governor, Eric Holcomb, revealed the state’s decision to distribute over $18 million in grants to various entities, including businesses, educational institutions, and community organizations. This funding is aimed at bolstering employer-sponsored childcare services, a critical component of Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda.
The plan is designed to empower employers and communities to develop or improve childcare services tailored to meet the needs of working parents. Holcomb emphasized the initiative’s goal to leverage local knowledge and resources to formulate effective childcare solutions. The program envisions a collaborative effort involving businesses, community entities, and educational institutions to facilitate childcare solutions that support working parents and early childhood education across Indiana.
A notable feature of the initiative is the provision of grants to 64 different entities, with a diverse range of plans to use these funds. Some recipients aim to provide on-site childcare services, while others focus on childcare tuition benefits for their employees. Additionally, the initiative includes various other methods to support employee childcare needs, such as establishing partnerships with childcare centers for reserved seating and offering flexible spending accounts for childcare expenses.
The grant program is versatile, allowing for a variety of childcare support mechanisms. These include on-site or near-site childcare options, partnerships for priority waitlist access at local childcare centers, and financial assistance models like tuition benefits and backup care options. Moreover, the program encourages community investments in childcare infrastructure and the innovative TriShare model, where childcare costs are shared between the employer, employee, and community.
This funding allocation represents 72% of the total $25 million fund dedicated to this cause, with a second round of funding announcements expected in early 2024. The grants have been awarded to a diverse group of employers based on size, with substantial amounts allocated to large, medium, and small employers.
Courtney Penn, the director of the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL), expressed enthusiasm for the creative childcare solutions that will emerge from this initiative. Penn highlighted the importance of early education in child development and the potential of this program to significantly benefit children, families, and the state’s economy.
The grant program is partly funded by the state’s federal relief funds from the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a strategic investment in the state’s early care and education sector. Additionally, the Indiana Manufacturer’s Association supports this initiative, indicating broad-based support for enhancing childcare services in the state.
The recipients of the first round of grants include a wide range of organizations across Indiana, each with specific plans to utilize the funds to improve childcare options for their employees and communities. This initiative marks a significant step towards addressing the childcare needs of working families in Indiana, promising to foster a more supportive environment for both parents and children. Kid’s Count Therapy was a fortunate awardee of one of these grants.
