Childcare Business Accelerator - Press Release
Manhattan, KS – The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation (GMCF), in collaboration with the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and Ascension Via Christi, is excited to announce that we have been awarded $2.35 million to begin the Childcare Business Accelerator Project. $2.1 million has been dedicated to constructing a new facility, and $250,000 has been dedicated to programmatic expenses. Funding was granted from the Kansas Children’s Cabinet Child Care Capacity Accelerator grant program. A maximum of $43.5 million was awarded across the state, with this grant being incredibly sought out and competitive. There was a total of $117 million in total requests for the state of Kansas.
The accelerator grant was made possible by the Kansas Office of Recovery – SPARK health and education initiatives funding for childcare capital improvements and Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) – Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Discretionary Supplemental funds and administered by the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund (KCCTF) to support communities in creating sustainable, high-quality childcare. The grant aims to support community approaches to addressing childcare capacity, specifically through new construction, significant expansion, major renovations of existing childcare facilities, launch of operational support, and implement sustainable solutions. Funds will be used to build or make crucial improvements that create additional licensed childcare capacity.
“The Childcare Business Accelerator Project is an initiative to provide affordable, quality childcare services while supporting childcare business owners, families, and early childcare development students,” says Jason Smith, President/CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. “Currently, 1,400 eligible potential employees are unable to work due to the lack of childcare openings in the Manhattan area. The project goes beyond direct care by empowering business owners, enhancing family resources, and supporting job growth.”
For childcare business owners, the project offers on-site mentoring, training, and guidance on implementing best practices in childcare, along with accounting and business training. Families and enrolled children benefit from affordable access to quality childcare through subsidies, parenting classes, and support. Early childcare development students are actively engaged through hands-on practicums and credentialing support, enabling them to gain practical experience and credentials.
The project also focuses on recruiting new family providers and facilitating internships while offering job placement assistance for daycare centers. The project collaborates with health and wellness professionals on navigating options during prenatal and postnatal care if their clients are experiencing financial or workforce stress due to finding affordable childcare. Additional support includes pre-licensing consulting, continued training, workforce recruitment events, and community outreach. For the overall business community, the project conducts training on supporting employee childcare benefits and fundraises to scale up childcare centers and facilitate partnerships with non-childcare businesses.
For more information regarding this project, contact Vern Henricks, GMCF President & CEO, at vernh@mcfks.org or (785) 587-8995 Ext. 1. Stay tuned for future updates on the Childcare Business Accelerator Project, where the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation and its partners are actively addressing childcare challenges in the Manhattan area.
