Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced Thursday that 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.
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.
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.
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.
Local awardees include B.T.I. Inc. in Argos for $22,780, Plymouth Community School Corporation for $350,000, and United Way of Marshall County, Inc. for $750,000.
