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The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) is accepting applications for a new round of child care bonuses. Grant applications will be accepted from April 17 through May 22, 2024.
Licensed child care providers may apply for the grants that pay for a bonus of $3,000 for full-time employees and $1,500 for part-time staff. Like previous awards, these Child Care Workforce Stabilization grants aim to help child care providers recruit and retain workers as the industry has struggled to recover since the pandemic.
“In reviewing and validating expenditures for the previous round of federal grants, we found that we had funding to issue additional grants,”said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. “Our goal from the beginning was to utilize all the funding we had available. Therefore, we are extremely pleased to offer another round of bonuses as child care workers continue serving their important role in Alabama.”
More than 12,700 employees received bonuses for the eighth round of grants, an increase of 26% compared to the first round.
The two-year grant period, set by federal law, is scheduled to end in September. These grants are funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
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.
Applications, grant schedules and additional eligibility requirements are available at
dhr.alabama.gov/child-care.
