ITEM TITLE:
#23-17 - Authorizing Submission of a Community INNOVATION Grant Application to Thread to Assist with Community Child Care Planning and Capacity Building Efforts
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Detter, City Manager/Elise Sorum-Birk, Deputy City Clerk
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: n/a
Unencumbered Balance: n/a
Funding Source: n/a
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Resolution #23-17 is attached for review.
The Community INNOVATION Grant, administered by thread on behalf of the State of Alaska Department of Health’s Child Care Program Office is a funding opportunity open to any Alaska community interested in furthering its efforts in sustainable child care solutions and increasing access to high quality, affordable licensed child care.
The grant program acknowledges that Alaska communities are at different stages of identifying, planning and advancing child care needs and prioritizes projects that involve multiple local partners. There are minimal funding restrictions as to the types of projects applicants can pursue and no required match. Grant awards will range from $100,000 to $2,000,000.
If awarded funding, the City of Valdez would be able to monetarily support tangible aspects of the work to be done by the newly established Child Care Crisis Task Force, including assessment of facilities (and potential future facility retrofit) and training opportunities for child care professionals.
The application period for this program is brief - it opened on March 21, 2023 and closes on April 14, 2023. Projects are to be completed by June 30, 2025.
More information about this grant opportunity can be found on the thread website here:
<https://www.threadalaska.org/community-innovation-grant/>