As a part of Project Growth, the Partner Up! Grant Program will provide $10 million dollars in funding to support partnerships between businesses and child care providers. It will encourage employers in essential workforce sectors to secure space for their employees’ children at regulated child care providers.

Essential businesses, which include health care and long-term care facilities, will support their employees who have children in child care by paying a portion of the true cost of their employees’ child care. The child care providers participating in this program can use these funds to increase staff compensation, pay expenses, and improve the quality of their program.

Essential businesses and regulated child care providers will enter into a contract to secure a child care slot for up to 12 months, with the possibility of a longer period. The Department of Children and Families will contribute up to 75% of the true cost of care for each child care slot, with essential businesses contributing a minimum of 25%. DCF intends to launch this program in early 2022.

DCF is now seeking feedback about the Partner Up! Grant Program requirements. Take the Partner Up! Grant Program Input Survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6T3RBT8