As a result of the Federal American Rescue Plan Act, funds are to be used to stabilize, support, and grow the diverse early learning workforce in a way that rebuilds a stronger child care system and expands access to affordable high-quality care.
Funds will be available to child care providers in the form of:
- Licensed Child Care Stabilization Grant
- Family, Friend, and Neighbor (FFN) Stabilization Grant
This page details the Stabilization Grant for FFN providers.
Get information on the Licensed Child Care Stabilization Grant
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
License-exempt FFN providers who have served at least one child on subsidy in four of the last six months or two of the last three months and claim for subsidy through the Social Service Payment System (SSPS) at time of application.
More information about eligibility criteria and prioritization can be found in the DCYF FFN Stabilization Grant Frequently Asked Questions.
FAQs
What is the amount of this grant?
The FFN Stabilization Grant consists of:
Program Amount + Add-Ons
Program Amount
FFN Providers will receive a program amount of $750.
Verifiable Add-Ons
Providers who meet certain verifiable criteria may be eligible to receive an additional “add-on” amount on top of their program amount. These verifiable add-on amounts are stackable, and each add $250 to the total grant amount.
Extreme child care access deserts, identified by zip code. For the purposes of this funding, DCYF is counting any zip code as an extreme access desert if it is identified as an extreme access desert for any subset of populations – infants/toddlers and preschoolers, from low-income households as well as non-low-income households.
- Providers serving highest portion of subsidy children identified as non-white
- Providers located in zip codes with high concentration of children of color
- “Providers serving”:
- Highest portion of subsidy children from non-English households/tribal providers
- “Providers located in”:
- High concentrations of childhood poverty (top quintile of zips)
- 23 locales with highest rates of child maltreatment (plus 4 recently dropped)
- Rural counties
- Zip codes with the highest concentration of children in racial/ethnic groups experiencing disproportionality in kindergarten entry using the most recent American Community Survey 2019 5-year zip code-level data.
- FFN providers in these zip codes meet the definition, and licensed or certified providers in these zip code who are rated a Level 3 or higher in Early Achievers.
- Providers located in zip codes with at least 40% of providers who have experienced a COVID-19 temporary closure, and
- Providers located in zip codes with the top quartile of COVID-19 closure days
See more about the zip code Definitions
How does a provider apply for a grant?
- Select one of the FFN Stabilization Grant Applications. We have provided the application in two different formats - choose the format that works best for you:
- Online Application
or - Fillable PDF Application: English | Spanish | Somali
- Online Application
- The FFN provider will answer a series of questions and submit the application.
Get information about the application:
DCYF FFN Stabilization Grant Application Step-by-Step Guide
Where to Find Assistance
Technical and Language Assistance
If you need technical assistance, including assistance in your language, guidance on preparing for and accessing the application, or questions on spending and saving receipts, you can contact either the Imagine Institute or Voices of Tomorrow.
- Imagine Institute
phone: 206-492-5249
email: CCSG@imaginewa.org - Voices of Tomorrow (supporting East African child care providers):
phone: (206) 278-8290
email: childcaresupport@tomorrowvoices.org
Application Questions
If you have questions about the application, the timeline of the grant or other questions specific to the grant, email dcyf.stabilizationgrant@dcyf.wa.gov.
Is there a deadline to apply for this grant?
Yes, the deadline to apply is September 30, 2022 by 11:59 PM
What other supports are offered?
Licensed Child Care Stabilization Grant
Get information on the Licensed Child Care Stabilization Grant