Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday launched the Child Care Bridge Payment Program, which will provide $110 million in monthly direct payments to Wisconsin child care providers through June 2026.
This investment was made possible as part of a more than $360 million investment that Evers secured in the bipartisan biennial budget, signed into law earlier this month, to help stabilize Wisconsin’s child care industry and lower the cost of child care for working families. It aims to ensure that there will not be any gaps in direct funding for child care providers caused by the winding down of the Child Care Counts Program.
The Child Care Bridge Payments Program, provided through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), is similar to the Child Care Counts Program, which was launched by Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration in 2020. The Child Care Bridge Payments Program will provide the financial stability providers need to stay open and recruit and retain qualified staff.
The initial application window will open July 26 and close Aug. 3, with additional opportunities to apply each month through June 2026. Direct payments will begin in mid-August. Wisconsin child care providers can find more information on how to apply on DCF’s public website.
