Center for American Progress Highlights the Role of Child Care Aware of Kansas in Optimizing Distribution of Pandemic Relief Funds

On April 15, 2021, the Biden administration made the largest-ever investment in American child care, releasing a historic $39 billion from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act to states.
Child Care Provider on floor with baby

The Ideas & Solutions blog is intended to provide a forum for the discussion of child care and early education issues and ideas. We hope to provoke thoughtful discussions within the field and to help those outside the field gain a better understanding of priorities and concerns.

States can contract with some intermediaries who can rapidly distribute subgrants that create immediate financial relief for programs in need of a lifeline. In March 2020, for example, Child Care Aware of Kansas—a CCR&R—partnered with the state of Kansas to establish the Hero Relief Program, which offered subgrants directly to providers to sustain the supply of child care across the state, provided revenue replacement funds as enrollment in child care programs dropped, and compensated providers serving essential workers through bonuses. The program used CARES Act dollars to distribute more than $11 million in grants to more than 4,500 child care programs in Kansas in a mere six months.

  • Child Care Aware of Kansas

    Child Care Aware of Kansas connects everyone with a stake in child care — parents, child care providers, businesses, local and state leaders, and community members — to the information and ideas they need to take action. We provide opportunities, connections, and support for Kansans to envision what a better child care system can look like for them. Working within a network of Child Care Resource & Referral agencies, we also connect caregivers and providers to the information and support they need.