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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Oshkosh ARPA ProposalCity of Oshkosh ARPA Proposal Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1987 that serves families, childcare providers, and the community in Calumet, Green Lake, Outagamie, Waupaca, and Winnebago Counties. The mission of CCR&R is to improve the quality and accessibility of early childhood education and care. Program/Program Approach: Childcare Provider and Family Support Childcare is difficult to find, expensive, and necessary for working families. When a family cannot find childcare, they face tough decisions. According to the 2023 CCR&R Childcare Capacity Report, there are 35 regulated childcare programs in the city of Oshkosh with a total capacity to serve 1,652 children. It is important to note this data reflects the total capacity when programs are fully staffed, which is not the status of childcare programs today. According to the Census Reporter ACS 2022 estimate, there are 3,965 total children under age 6 residing in Oshkosh. This data shows the supply of regulated childcare does not meet the demand. Implications of COVID Childcare programs have always struggled to remain profitable yet strive to continue to provide quality childcare for our communities. The COVID pandemic with its uncertainty of day-to-day life exacerbated this issue. With inflation and increasing wages following the pandemic, programs are struggling to keep their doors open. Childcare providers need support to regain financial sustainability and increased recruitment and education to increase the childcare workforce. Collaborations CCR&R collaborates with childcare providers in Oshkosh to ensure their needs are met. We are also a member of the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and the Oshkosh Childcare Task Force helping to provide solutions to the childcare crisis. Initiative 1: Childcare Foundational Training CCR&R has been a local training and technical assistance agency in Oshkosh for more than 30 years. Individuals interested in providing regulated childcare in Wisconsin are required to meet entry-level training requirements through foundational early childhood courses. CCR&R provides training and technical assistance through the provision of these non-credit early childhood courses, as well as successful evidence-informed initiatives. Through the City of Oshkosh ARPA funds, CCR&R will provide free foundational childcare courses for childcare providers in Oshkosh and Winnebago County removing a financial barrier for individuals interested in entering the profession. Initiative 2: Start-Up Childcare Program Grants Childcare providers need access to training, start-up technical assistance, and financial support to start their businesses. CCR&R will offer start-up grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 to prospective childcare providers working with CCR&R to open a regulated childcare program in Oshkosh between May and December 2024. Start-up funds will allow providers to purchase equipment such as appliances, furniture, cribs, fencing, outdoor play equipment, and start-up materials necessary to operate their business. Initiative 3: COVID Financial Assistance for Families The average childcare rates in Winnebago County have increased by approximately 9.3% over the past 5 years. According to the Department of Health & Human Services the maximum amount working families should spend on childcare is 7% of household income. In Wisconsin, anywhere from 10.8% to 13.4 % is spent for childcare - well above the 7% recommendation. Over 50 families in the City of Oshkosh are behind in childcare payments threatening their child’s enrollment. CCR&R will offer a new financial assistance program to families unable to catch up on unpaid childcare invoices benefitting both families and childcare providers. The goal of this program is to ensure children can continue to receive care while simultaneously supporting the financial sustainability of childcare programs. Project Outcomes: 1. Offer foundational training for 146 childcare providers in the city of Oshkosh and within Winnebago County on a continuous cycle. 2. Provide childcare program start-up grants for five family childcare provider homes and two group childcare centers. 3. Provide financial assistance to 40 families in Oshkosh to avoid discontinuation of care. Audit: CCR&R participates fully in a 3rd party audit annually as well as a 2-person system for all financial transactions. CCR&R has a system in place to segregate ARPA funding to ensure grant compliance is met and funds are spent appropriately. Contingency Plan: Foundational training will continue to be offered at a cost to providers. Financial assistance would be decreased based on the amount funded.