State Rep. Peter Abbarno, R-Chehalis, stated in a news release that eligible early learning and child care providers should apply for grants through the Washington state Department of Commerce’s Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program before the Oct. 31 deadline.
The ELF Expansion and Maintenance Competitive Grant supports Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) contractors and Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) providers in sustaining, expanding, remodeling, purchasing or constructing early learning facilities. These investments support early learning opportunities for children from low-income households across Washington state, according to the release.
“Access to affordable, quality early learning is critical for working families and the future of our children,” Abbarno stated in the release. “As a member of the House Capital Budget Committee, I’ve prioritized investments in early learning and child care infrastructure to help eliminate ‘child care deserts’ across our state — particularly in rural and underserved communities.”
According to the Washington Child Care Collaborative Task Force, more than 60% of communities in the state are considered child care deserts, meaning there are more than three children for every available licensed child care slot. The average cost of full-time child care in Washington can exceed $14,000 per year per child, placing significant strain on working families. This cost is among the highest in the nation, the news release stated.
Intended ECEAP contractors/subcontractors and WCCC providers are eligible for the grant, and eligible uses include sustaining, expanding, remodeling, purchasing or constructing early learning facilities.
All requests must be supported by licensed contractor bids or equipment cost documentation. Funding over $250,000 must be secured by real estate, according to the release.
Applicants should review the full program guidelines and notice of funding opportunity before applying, which can be found on the Washington state Department of Commerce website at https://tinyurl.com/2ft83x7v.
“Expanding early learning capacity is one of the smartest investments we can make in our future,” Abbarno said. “I encourage all eligible providers to take advantage of this opportunity before the Oct. 31 deadline.”
