STAMFORD, Conn. — The Women’s Business Development Council’s Child Care Business Support Program and Opportunity Fund is now open for a new round of applications and child care businesses in Connecticut are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $25,000. The innovative grant program, supported by a partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), will accept applications through September 27.

To kick off the new grant application window, WBDC recently visited grant recipients from the most recent round. In that round, the fifth to date, 44 businesses were awarded grants totaling $481,800 through either the Start-Up or Expansion grant program. Since its inception in 2020, the program has distributed 499 grants totaling $5.6 million to 311 child care businesses in Connecticut. These OEC-funded grants have reached providers in 68 towns, with 80% going to businesses in an underserved child care community and 62% to minority-owned businesses.

“By supporting our child care businesses, we are supporting our state’s economy as a whole,” said WBDC CEO Fran Pastore. “Much of our state’s workforce — employers, employees, and entrepreneurs — depend on reliable and quality child care, and this program helps to ensure that current and aspiring child care providers have the support and resources they need to survive and thrive. We are incredibly proud of the impact this grant program, along with the entrepreneurial education we are delivering to early childhood business owners, is having on these businesses.

Grant programs offered through the Opportunity Fund:

• Start-Up Grant Program: Up to $5,000 for family homes, $10,000 for group homes, and $25,000 for center for start-up and operating expenses; open to aspiring and licensed child care providers operating for less than 1 year; apply by Sept. 27.

• Expansion Grant Program: Up to $25,000 to create slots, maximize enrollments, and/or create new revenue streams; open to licensed providers operating with enrolled children for 2+ years; apply by Sept. 27.

• Emergency Facilities Grant Program: Up to $25,000 for urgent facilities projects to remain open and safe; open to licensed providers operating with enrolled children for 6+ months; rolling application but must apply before Nov. 1.

In addition, WBDC Business Advisors are available to assist applicants. To schedule a one-on-one session with a Business Advisor, applicants should complete this form.

For a full list of Round 5 Child Care Business Support Program and Opportunity Fund recipients, click here.

For photos from the recent WBDC Child Care Road Show, click here.

Please contact JoAnn Gulbin if you would like her to connect you with a child care grant recipient in your coverage area.

About the Women’s Business Development Council 

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained nearly 18,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain and scale almost 13,500 businesses, create and maintain more than 29,600 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $52.5 million in capital. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.

The Women’s Business Development Council’s Child Care Business Support Program and Opportunity Fund is now open for a new round of applications and child care businesses in Connecticut are encouraged to apply for grants of up to $25,000. The innovative grant program, supported by a partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), will accept applications through September 27.

To kick off the new grant application window, WBDC recently visited grant recipients from the most recent round. In that round, the fifth to date, 44 businesses were awarded grants totaling $481,800 through either the Start-Up or Expansion grant program. Since its inception in 2020, the program has distributed 499 grants totaling $5.6 million to 311 child care businesses in Connecticut. These OEC-funded grants have reached providers in 68 towns, with 80% going to businesses in an underserved child care community and 62% to minority-owned businesses.

“By supporting our child care businesses, we are supporting our state’s economy as a whole,” said WBDC CEO Fran Pastore. “Much of our state’s workforce — employers, employees, and entrepreneurs — depend on reliable and quality child care, and this program helps to ensure that current and aspiring child care providers have the support and resources they need to survive and thrive. We are incredibly proud of the impact this grant program, along with the entrepreneurial education we are delivering to early childhood business owners, is having on these businesses.

Grant programs offered through the Opportunity Fund:

• Start-Up Grant Program: Up to $5,000 for family homes, $10,000 for group homes, and $25,000 for center for start-up and operating expenses; open to aspiring and licensed child care providers operating for less than 1 year; apply by Sept. 27.

• Expansion Grant Program: Up to $25,000 to create slots, maximize enrollments, and/or create new revenue streams; open to licensed providers operating with enrolled children for 2+ years; apply by Sept. 27.

• Emergency Facilities Grant Program: Up to $25,000 for urgent facilities projects to remain open and safe; open to licensed providers operating with enrolled children for 6+ months; rolling application but must apply before Nov. 1.

In addition, WBDC Business Advisors are available to assist applicants. To schedule a one-on-one session with a Business Advisor, applicants should complete this form.

For a full list of Round 5 Child Care Business Support Program and Opportunity Fund recipients, click here.

For photos from the recent WBDC Child Care Road Show, click here.

Please contact JoAnn Gulbin if you would like her to connect you with a child care grant recipient in your coverage area.

About the Women’s Business Development Council 

The Women’s Business Development Council’s (WBDC) mission is to support economic prosperity for women and strengthen communities through entrepreneurial and financial education services that create and grow sustainable jobs and businesses across Connecticut. WBDC educates, motivates and empowers women to achieve economic independence and self-sufficiency. Since 1997, WBDC has educated and trained nearly 18,000 clients in all of Connecticut’s 169 towns—helping women to launch, sustain and scale almost 13,500 businesses, create and maintain more than 29,600 jobs in Connecticut, and access more than $52.5 million in capital. Visit ctwbdc.org for more information.