The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Division of Child Development and Early Education is at the helm of the North Carolina Child Care Stabilization Grants. This initiative is currently accepting applications from eligible early care and learning programs.
To prepare your application, ensure you have the following:
- Business NCID (Creating and Linking your NCID pdf)
- Direct Deposit Account for NCFAST (Setting up your Direct Deposit pdf)
- Program details, including enrollment and capacity figures
- Staff education and payroll information – Utilize the Staff and Training Worksheet (pdf) for data collection.
- Monthly financial records detailing expenses and revenues
Apply or manage your application via the Stabilization Grant Application Portal
For optimal portal access, use the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome, or Safari browsers. Internet Explorer is not supported, and Edge is not recommended.
Need Assistance?
For quick answers, consult the Frequently Asked Questions document. Direct support is also available Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, via email at [email protected] or by calling (919) 814-6300, and selecting Option 2.
Child Care Stabilization Grant Data Insights
To enhance transparency and provide stakeholders with clear insights, the NCDHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education offers two comprehensive data dashboards for the Child Care Stabilization Grants. The first dashboard delivers an impact overview of this significant investment. It visually represents the total child care capacity and the number of jobs sustained by these grants. Data is presented both statewide and broken down by county via an interactive map. The second dashboard underscores NCDHHS’s dedication to North Carolina’s early care and learning infrastructure. It details the cumulative stabilization grant funds disbursed to child care programs across the state. A pie chart offers a breakdown of grantees by program type. Furthermore, an interactive map displays total stabilization grant payments by county, with filtering options including All Payments, Fixed Cost Payments, Compensation Support Payments, Center Payments, and Home Payments.
Latest Updates
Quarterly Update and Recertification for Stabilization Grants – Deadlines Approaching!
The Child Care Stabilization Grant Quarterly Update for Quarter 8 (July-September 2023) is currently open until October 13th, closing at 4:59 PM. All recipients of Quarter 8 funding must submit their Quarterly Update before this deadline. Following the update completion, access to the Recertification Application will be granted.
The Recertification Application for Quarter 9 is also open until October 13th at 4:59 PM. Continued receipt of stabilization grant funding necessitates an approved Recertification Application from all current grantees by this deadline.
To secure stabilization grant funding for Quarter 9 (October-December 2023), completion of both the Quarterly Update AND the Recertification Application is mandatory.
Grant Amounts: How Much Funding Can Facilities Expect?
Option 1: Bonuses Only Grant Amount Per Quarter
- $600 per full-time staff member
- $300 per part-time staff member
- Plus 12% for administrative overhead
Option 2: Increase Base Pay and/or Benefits Grant Amount Per Quarter
- 1 & 2 Star Programs – Teaching Staff – $650/Full-Time, $325/Part-Time
- 3 Star Programs – Teaching Staff – $780/Full-Time, $390/Part-Time
- 4 and 5 Star Programs – Teaching Staff – $1560/Full-Time, $780/Part-Time
- Non-Teaching Staff – $650/Full-Time, $325/Part-Time
- Plus 12% for administrative overhead
About the Child Care Stabilization Grants
On October 7, 2021, Governor Roy Cooper announced a landmark federal investment of $805 million into North Carolina’s early care and education sector. These North Carolina Child Care Stabilization Grants are financed through the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, aiming to support working families by enhancing access to high-quality, affordable child care. The grants also play a crucial role in staff recruitment and retention within early care and learning programs. This is achieved by enabling better wages and benefits for educators, thus fostering equity for children, parents, and teachers alike. Understanding Who Funds Foster Care Programs In Nc often involves looking at similar funding mechanisms for child and family support, and while these grants are for child care, they reflect a broader commitment to early childhood development.
North Carolina’s Child Care Stabilization Grants are structured around two core components. These components are designed to provide early care and learning programs with the necessary funds to deliver high-quality early childhood education that reflects its actual cost and to improve staff compensation. Every approved program is allocated a Fixed Costs and Families Grant. This allocation is calculated based on several factors: program capacity, enrollment of children receiving subsidized care, program quality (star rating), infant/toddler enrollment, and community context (utilizing the Social Vulnerability Index).
Furthermore, programs that choose to pursue additional funding can receive Compensation Supports Grants. Two options are available for Compensation Supports. Programs selecting Option 1 commit to using the extra funds to issue bonuses to all staff members. Option 2 requires approved early childhood programs to increase base pay and/or benefits, implementing a compensation framework that ideally considers education levels, years of service, and job responsibilities.
Eligibility Criteria
Licensed Child Care Programs meeting the eligibility criteria for Stabilization Grant funding must:
- Possess a license or operate under a notice of compliance issued by DCDEE on or before March 11, 2021; or
- Hold a current license or notice of compliance and be eligible to participate in the Subsidized Child Care Assistance Program.
Permissible Uses of Grant Funds
Compensation Supports funds are specifically designated for personnel costs, as detailed in the grant award terms.
Fixed Cost and Families Grant funds have a broader range of allowable uses:
- Tuition Assistance for Families
- Personnel expenses, encompassing payroll, salaries, employee compensation, benefits, retirement contributions, educational costs, child care provisions for staff, and support for staff in accessing COVID-19 vaccines.
- Rent (including lease agreements) or mortgage payments, utilities, and insurance costs, potentially covering late fees or charges.
- Facility maintenance and minor renovations, including enhancements to outdoor learning and play areas, and COVID-19 related improvements.
- Procurement of personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitization supplies and services, and health and safety training.
- Purchases or upgrades to equipment and supplies needed to address COVID–19 related challenges.
- Essential goods and services required to maintain or restore child care services.
- Mental health support services for both children and staff.
- Health and safety training for staff, including CPR, First Aid, and medication administration certifications.
Monitoring and Compliance
DCDEE diligently monitors the stabilization grants program to ensure that grantee child care programs utilize funds appropriately and in accordance with all Terms and Conditions. Routine audits are conducted. Programs with satisfactory audits will receive a notification letter confirming the audit outcome. In cases where audits identify discrepancies or issues, program auditors will contact the relevant child care program to request clarification or documentation. Full cooperation and timely responses to DCDEE auditor requests are mandatory for all grantees.
Resources
Training Materials
Note: Certificates of completion are not issued for viewing these training recordings.
WATCH: Stabilization Grants Training 1 – NC Stabilization Grant Application Access the slide deck: NC Stabilization Grant Application 2021-2022 (PDF)
WATCH: Stabilization Grants Training 2 – Using Your NC Stabilization Grant Access the slide deck: Using Your NC Stabilization Grant (PDF)
WATCH: Stabilization Grants Training 3 – Introduction to Quarterly Reporting Access the slide deck: Introduction to Quarterly Reporting (PDF)
WATCH: Stabilization Grants Training 4 – Recertification Information Session Access the slide deck: Recertification Information Session
