Outagamie County plans to invest $2.75 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds into childcare and early childhood development.
The county is seeking applicants who will create a family resource center to support families and early child care professionals by promoting child, family and community strengths by building parenting skills and providing access to supportive family services.
Any nonprofit organization is eligible to apply for $500,000-$2 million through this program.
In addition, the county is offering $250,000 to $750,000 for the creation of a shared services program for child care and early learning providers in Outagamie County. A shared service program is a hub for organizations such as center-based and home-based child care providers. The hub pools their members’ resources and outsources basic business operations so their members save money. Savings could be used by members to increase workforce wages or build financial capacity.
Grant funds for an Outagamie County Family Resource Center are intended to:
• Bring resources and partners together in a physical and/or virtual space.
• Welcome parents, families, and early child care professionals and providers.
• Provide delivery of services to rural Outagamie County communities.
• Improve or expand existing services and/or offers new services. The Family Resource Center should not duplicate existing services.
Funding may be used for operational costs including staffing, programming and/or leasing for the Family Resource Center. Funding may be used for capital costs to develop, purchase, and/or improve a physical space or facility as long as it is located in Outagamie County. Learn more here.
Applicants for the shared services program may include, but are not necessarily limited to using funds for:
• Business practice support including payroll, benefits management, insurance management, banking, janitorial services, food services, marketing, and other centralized administrative services.
• Human resources and staffing services including recruitment, screening, orientation, and substitution planning, etc.
• Enrollment management and family engagement.
• Reporting management and licensing support.
• Professional development and educational leadership training.
Learn more by clicking here.
