Austin eyes grant to support home-based child care providers
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin city leaders are working to build out a grant program to help provide financial assistance for certain home-based child care providers, according to a city memo released last week.
Austin Public Health and the city's Economic Development Department are recommending the new grant program be enacted, with the following eligibility criteria:
- State of Texas licensure or registration
- Location with Austin's full purpose jurisdiction
- Active agreement with Workforce Solutions Capital Area
- Participation in the Texas Rising Star program, featuring entry-level designation or higher
The memo detailing the potential grant program came following Austin City Council's November 2023 vote directing the city manager to determine what financial relief opportunities would be available.
Based on the proposed grant program's eligibility criteria, approximately 21 providers would qualify for the assistance. Those qualifying organizations owe property taxes ranging between $856 and $2,821 for 2023, per the memo, with a total owed amount of $33,122.
"This new grant program would provide relief to home-based child care providers, many of whom are women of color, operating on narrow margins," the memo read in part.
APH is in the process of building out its support network for home-based child care services as part of the fiscal year 2023-24 (FY24) planning grant from Home Grown, per the memo. The City of Austin is pursuing that planning grant and, if approved, would receive $75,000 annually from Home Grown for both FY25 and FY26. The city would be responsible for a 100% match to receive the funds.
However, the memo noted funding isn't currently available for the city's match, and staff are working to find opportunities in the FY25 budget to support it.