KSDE Weekly

Feature Story

Grant opportunity available for child care centers run by public school systems

The Patterson Family Foundation is offering grants for child care centers operated by public school systems.

“At the Patterson Family Foundation, we recognize that access to safe and affordable child care is a foundation of community success,” the foundation’s website states. “Unfortunately, rural communities are more likely to be classified as child care deserts – where the demand for licensed child care greatly exceeds the local capacity to provide it. This lack of access can be a limiting factor for working parents who support the functions that keep a community humming, such as health care, education, local industry and elder care. School-district-based child care models have been one of the ways rural communities have successfully addressed this need.”

The funding program is open to both districts preparing to open new child care centers, as well as existing child care centers that would like to increase capacity, ages served and hours of operation.

The program’s goal is to increase the capacity and number of licensed child care centers in shortage areas throughout the rural Patterson Family Foundation catchment area. As a result, eligible districts must be located in the foundation’s catchment of Kansas counties with fewer than 50,000 residents. This is all Kansas counties except Butler, Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Reno, Riley, Saline, Shawnee, Sedgwick and Wyandotte.

The application period opened May 12 and runs through June 9. The maximum award amount is $175,000.

Applying districts may request support for short-term operational needs, training and certification needs, and/or minor capital improvements aimed at supporting the adaptation of existing district facilities to better serve the purpose of providing child care.

The Patterson Family Foundation is a family-led foundation extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson. The foundation strives to help lift up rural communities through health care, education, economic opportunities and more. The foundation was established to reinvest in rural communities. Currently, the adult children of the Patterson family lead it.

Visit https://pattersonfamilyfoundation.org/grant/school-district-child-care-program/ for additional information and to apply.

Questions about the grant can be emailed to Denise Schuele, program officer at the Patterson Family Foundation, at denise@pffkc.org.

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Posted: May 18, 2023,
Comments: 0,
Tags: Grant

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