State reports 1,681 applications, 158 awards in first round of Family Childcare capital grants; second round opens

The Department of Early Education and Care reported that its Family Childcare capital grant program received 1,681 applications in the first funding round and awarded 158 grants, program director Diana Figueira said. Award messages were sent by email on Tuesday, June 17.

The awards come from a roughly $3,000,000 capital fund and carry a maximum individual grant of $25,000, Diana Figueira, director of the Family Childcare Subsidy Program at the Department of Early Education and Care, said. "Recebemos 1681 candidatura e inscrições. E entre elas, 158 projetos foram aceitos, foram premiados," she said.

The grants are intended to support capital improvements at family childcare programs in lower-resource communities, the agency said. Commonly funded work in the first round included heating and air-conditioning upgrades, kitchen improvements, installation of dryers, playground or recreation-area improvements and some bathroom work.

Figueira said the agency will post a list of awardees on the department's grants web page and issue a press notice on Mass.gov. She advised applicants who were not selected to review reviewer feedback and strengthen their proposals for the second round. "Se você não foi selecionada na primeira rodada, isso é muito importante pra sua própria inscrição. A gente quer que você use para refinar e reforçar a sua proposta para a segunda rodada," she said.

The agency outlined eligibility and application requirements for the upcoming second round. Key details provided by staff: - Maximum grant per site: $25,000; total program capital funding cited at $3,000,000. - Eligibility: providers must be open at least four days per week; not all applicants are eligible under program rules; the full eligibility guide is on the program web page. - For certain ("level 2") projects, applicants must be licensed and have been operating for at least four years; photos of the project site will be required for those applications. - Required documents: updated W-9, current verifications, proof of property ownership or authorization for work where applicable, and contractor license verification for hired work. - Scoring priorities: purchases that improve energy efficiency receive higher review scores.

Technical assistance will be offered to awardees after grants are announced; award letters will list next steps and agreement requirements. A staff member closed the briefing by encouraging applicants to apply again and seek help: "Para aqueles que não foram selecionados, não seja descorajado, seu trabalho importa e você terá outra oportunidade para acessar esses fundos críticos," the staff member said.

Geographic distribution of awards in the first round was uneven, the department said: the largest shares of awards went to providers in the state's northeast, central and western regions, while the southeast, Cape region and the Boston metropolitan area were underrepresented among awardees.

The department advised applicants to confirm eligibility before reapplying, document the project's need and expected effect on capacity or quality, include exact required documents and use a licensed contractor where work requires one. Applicants may apply for partial awards and remain eligible to apply again in the second round so long as any single award does not exceed the $25,000 cap.

Next steps: the department will publish the full list of first-round awardees on its grants page and post a press notice on Mass.gov; the second round will open with updated eligibility details and application instructions on the department's web pages.