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The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) will accept grant applications for the next round of child care employee bonuses starting Tuesday, June 20.
Licensed child care providers will have until July 12 to apply for the grants that pay for quarterly bonuses of $3,000 for full-time employees and $1,500 for part-time staff. Now in the seventh quarter, Child Care Workforce Stabilization grants aim to help child care providers recruit and retain workers as the industry recovers from the pandemic.
“Supporting Alabama’s hardworking child care employees not only benefits our families but also our workforce and economy,” said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. “We are pleased to once again offer them these bonuses as they continue serving their important role in our state.”
DHR has awarded 8,430 grants to providers since the initiative was announced in November 2021. More than 12,100 employees received bonuses for the sixth quarter, an increase of 21 percent compared to the first quarter.
In July 2022, DHR doubled the original bonus amounts for all remaining quarters to give child care providers an extra edge amid a highly competitive job market and to reward current employees. The two-year grant period, set by federal law, is scheduled to end in September.
To qualify, providers must be licensed and operating in good standing with DHR when they apply and receive a grant. They must also remain in operation for at least one year after a grant is awarded.
These grants are separate from DHR’s Temporary Assistance for Stabilizing Child Care grants, which pay eligible providers $2,000 for each daytime child care slot to help cover operating costs. Both grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Applications, grant schedules and additional eligibility requirements are available at dhr.alabama.gov/child-care.
