Shelbyville, Shelby Eastern, Southern Hancock and Mt Vernon to receive child care grants

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Four area school districts will receive employer-sponsored child care grants.

Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is awarding $18.1 million in employer-sponsored child care grants to 64 businesses, community groups and school corporations. The initiative, part of Gov. Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, is mobilizing employers and communities to create or expand child care offerings that address the needs of working Hoosiers.

“We wanted those who know first-hand the critical needs of their employees, and those who are best positioned to partner in their communities, to create child care solutions for their workforce, and they delivered,” Gov. Holcomb said. “This effort harnesses the combined efforts of businesses, community groups, and schools that want to support working Hoosiers’ careers and our youngest learners across the state.”

Thirty-three employers plan to provide on-site child care to their employees, and 13 will offer child care tuition benefits to their workers. The remaining awardees plan to support child care for their employees in a variety of other ways, such as reserving seats at partner child care centers. 

Among those chosen from the area include Shelbyville Central Schools ($200,000), Shelby Eastern ($200,000), Southern Hancock Schools ($200,000) and Mt. Vernon School Corporation ($350,000).

This round of awardees will receive 72% of available funding from the $25 million fund. Round two awardees – which will be announced in early 2024 – will receive the remaining funds.

Thirty large employers with 1,000 or more employees will receive up to $750,000 each. Twenty-five mid-sized employers with between 100 and 999 employees will receive up to $350,000. And nine small employers with between 20 and 99 employees will receive up to $50,000.

“I look forward to seeing all the inventive approaches to child care come to life in communities across the state, and partnering with more businesses, community groups and schools on this important, collaborative effort to support children, their families and the state’s economy,” said Courtney Penn, OECOSL director. “Birth to age 5 are the most critical in a person’s life, and now more of our next generation will receive early education that is crucial to their brain and social development.”

The program, a partnership with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, uses a portion of the state’s remaining federal relief funds from the COVID-19 pandemic and is part of the state’s broader efforts to strengthen the early care and education sector, providing support for today’s workforce and investing in tomorrow’s. The program is also supported by the Indiana Manufacturers Association.

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