OECOSL awards $8.7M in expansion grants to early education providers

More than 1,500 spots will be added in 18 counties across the state

INDIANAPOLIS – The Family and Social Service Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning awarded more than $8.7 million to child care providers to expand access to high-quality early education for Hoosier families.

OECOSL awarded 21 grants to 11 centers, four ministries, four homes and two public schools. The grants will add 1,572 child care seats in 18 Indiana counties. Seven providers received up to $200,000 to expand existing programs by updating facilities and operations; 14 received up to $750,000 to create new programs in underserved areas of the state. Additional grants may be awarded.

“This Child Care Expansion Grant will help high-quality providers grow their businesses and serve more children and families, particularly in underserved areas of Indiana, or expand availability to priority age groups where care is often hardest to find,” said Courtney Penn, OECOSL director. “The first five years of a child’s life are the most significant to build a strong foundation for future success. We are always looking for opportunities such as this to partner with providers to serve hard-working Hoosier families.”

Grant funds were made possible through Senate Enrolled Act 2 from the 2022 Indiana General Assembly special session.

“This expansion grant helps to build upon FSSA’s recent work to help stabilize and grow child care in Indiana to support providers and build available child care capacity,” FSSA Secretary Dan Rusyniak, M.D. said. “These investments directly strengthen the workforce.”

Just last month, FSSA announced the $25 million Employer-Sponsored Child Care Fund, part of Gov. Eric J. Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, to mobilize employers and communities to create or expand child care offerings that address the needs of working Hoosiers.

In recent years, FSSA has provided $542 million in stabilization grants to more than 3,300 child care providers to help them rebuild after the instability caused by the pandemic, which led to a 29% decrease in vacant child care and early learning teaching positions from 2021 to 2022.