Early Learning Indiana to provide grants to child care providers

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — Another round of Come Back Stronger Fund grants are on the way to Indiana child care providers from Early Learning Indiana. The Indianapolis-based nonprofit will provide nearly $12 million in grants to programs across the state after a more than $10 million award from the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc.

The grants are designed to help with enhanced sanitation procedures, sustaining staffing models, along with covering costs of implementing pandemic-appropriate activities and combating learning loss.

“Access to high-quality child care is critical to families, communities and our state’s ability to recover from the pandemic,” said Early Learning Indiana President and Chief Executive Officer Maureen Weber. “Our goal with this second round of funding is to continue helping our state’s highest-quality providers to ensure they’re here to serve families when the pandemic is over.”

Weber says licensed and registered centers, ministries and family child care home providers serving kids aged 0-5 are eligible for the grants, with amounts varying in size depending on enrollment numbers. 

Early Learning Indiana previously awarded more than $13 million in Come Back Stronger Fund grants earlier this year to more than 1,000 child care programs.

The nonprofit expects to dole out $25 million in grants when the second round ends. Click here for a map of lndiana child care providers who have received funding.