The Sacramento City Council has approved the acceptance of an $850,000 grant from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) aimed at expanding infant and toddler care. The funding will support various initiatives designed to enhance childcare capacity and provide technical assistance to local providers.
“This is a monumental step forward in our City’s efforts of attaining greater access to quality and affordable childcare,” said Councilmember Eric Guerra who helped create the Early Learning and Child Care Taskforce and championed childcare initiatives in the city. “I applaud our City and early childhood education partners in obtaining this $850,000 federal grant from the SBA, because this is crucial for working parents and families who have difficulty in finding childcare for their kids.”
The initiatives supported by the grant include:
- Family Childcare Home Startup Technical Assistance and Stipend Program
- Family Childcare Home and Childcare Center Infant and Toddler Expansion
- Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program
- Equity-based Childcare Business Development Training
The City Council’s approval will enable the City to accept the SBA grant and implement programs that will increase childcare capacity, provide technical assistance, and support workforce training. These efforts are expected to help move children off waitlists and support the recovery of Sacramento’s childcare sector from the pandemic’s lasting effects.
“The funding will bolster our efforts to expand early childhood education and support childcare providers who are crucial to our community,” said Janine Cooper, the City’s childcare project manager. “With this new funding, we can further support the childcare industry, help more families access quality care, and get Sacramentans back to work.”
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Sacramento’s childcare industry, with a reported 13.3% decline in the workforce and the closure of approximately 250 facilities, according to officials.
To address this crisis, the City Council had previously allocated $1.5 million from federal American Rescue Plan funds for childcare services, which have since supported 152 childcare centers and 34 new family childcare homes.