ST. PAUL – Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, announces West Central Initiative of Fergus Falls is set to receive a $50,000 child care grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
The grant is through the Greater Minnesota Childcare Grants Program, which the Legislature created last year to increase child care services in order to support regional economic development. In all, DEED is awarded $500,000 in grants to eight groups that will work to increase the number of child care providers in their Greater Minnesota communities.
“The combination of high costs for child care and a shortage of providers in the state has put many Minnesota families in a bind,” said Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls. “Far too often this translates to parents being unable to work or finish school, making it awfully difficult to catch up, much less get ahead. These grants should be helpful to help people who may be caught in that cycle.”
Grant funds must be used to implement solutions to reduce the child care shortage in the state, such as business start-ups or expansion, training, facility modifications or improvements required for licensing, and assistance with licensing and other regulatory requirements. The program will be managed by DEED, with guidance from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Additional details are available at this link.
-30-