On Aug. 18, 2021, OCDEL issued communication on how eligible child care providers can begin to prepare to meet the requirements for application, including creating an account and claiming their organization in the PD Registry.

Eligibility for the Stabilization Grants has been established in ARPA, by the federal Office of Child Care (OCC) and Pennsylvania’s 2021-22 Fiscal Code (HB 1348). To qualify, certified child care providers must:

1. Have a regular or provisional Certificate of Compliance on or before March 11, 2021;
2. At the time of application, be either open and available to provide child care or be in a temporarily closed status due to a COVID-19 pandemic related reason; Providers in a temporarily closed status must plan to reopen by Sept. 30, 2021; and
3. At the time of application, a providers’ Certificate of Compliance cannot be in the Revocation or Refuse to Renew status with the OCDEL Bureau of Certification Services.

Additionally, some relative Child Care Works (CCW) providers may also be eligible for an ARPA Stabilization Grant. Information about the relative provider eligibility and application process will be shared directly with those providers.

NOTE: Due to recent guidance provided to Pennsylvania by the Federal Office of Child Care (OCC), at the time of application providers under investigation or convicted of welfare fraud are not eligible for ARPA stabilization grants.

If you have questions about eligibility for the Stabilization Grant, contact your Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC).

• Personnel Costs;
• Rent/Mortgage and Utilities;
• Facilities Maintenance and Insurance (excluding major renovations);
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Cleaning and other Health and Safety Practices;
• Equipment and Supplies;
• Goods and Services; and
• Mental Health Supports for Employees and Children.

Watch a recording of this webinar on YouTube.

A recording of the ARPA Stabilization Grant Allowable Expenses webinar with Deputy Secretary Tracey Campanini can be found on the Pennsylvania Key YouTube channel. OCDEL is developing a number of resources to help eligible programs utilize the webinar. The resources will include:

• A copy of the slide deck used during the ARPA Stabilization Grants Webinar (PDF)
• A list of the questions that eligible providers will be asked to answer in the online application (PDF)
• A copy of the Attestation that eligible certified providers will need to electronically sign prior to submitting their application (PDF)
• Spanish language translation of the Webinar transcript (in development)
• A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) based on the questions that were submitted during the webinar (in development)

• View the ARPA Subgrants for Child Care Providers Summary Report

• Try the ARPA Stabilization Grant – Certified Provider Estimator

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization Grant application is now available to eligible child care providers in the Professional Development (PD) Registry. Directors, owners, administrators and/or designated fiscal staff members  can access the application for their program under the Keystone STARS/Grants tab in their organization’s profile.

Learn how to apply by viewing the tutorial video or the tip sheet.

Eligible providers are encouraged to review all materials on this page including instructions, the Frequently Asked Questions document, additional information and previous announcements thoroughly BEFORE submitting an application. In addition, your ELRC is prepared to help you think about the best use of the funds in your program.

PLEASE NOTE: If at any time during the application process you disagree with information that is listed for your location, you should STOP and contact your regional ELRC. Stop the application process and contact your ELRC immediately if you disagree with any of the following information entered by the system in each provider’s application:

• The licensed capacity listed in the application under the “Licensing & Affiliations” section as “capacity.” This should be the same number as your CER issued by Certification.
• The Keystone STAR designation in the application listed under the “STARS Add-on” section.
• The CCW enrollment counts for March 13, 2020, and/or March 11, 2021, listed under the “Child Care Works Add-on” section.

The ARPA Stabilization Grants are for early childhood education programs, not individuals. In the PD Registry, for Directors/Owners/Admins, the option will appear in their ORGANIZATIONS profile under the Keystone STARS/Grants tab.

APPLY NOW IN THE PD REGISTRY!

The application will be available in the PD Registry until Jan. 31, 2022. There is a robust amount of funding, but as with all things, grants are based on the availability of funds.