Grants for Expanding an Existing Child Care Facility in Maine

Overview

Existing child care facilities interested in increasing their licensed capacity (as permitted by the Child Care Facility Licensing Rule  and the Fire Marshal Day Care & Nursery School Requirements) are encouraged and eligible to apply for up to 50% of their related expansion costs for a total award up to $30,000.

Grant awards received may be used for the following purposes:

• Purchasing or renting a building and renovating it to deliver high quality child care. Selected examples include adding a window to allow for egress and to add natural light, removing a wall to increase the size of a room, adding an accessible ground-floor bathroom and installing a fire alarm system.
• Constructing a new building that is designed to enhance a child’s development.
• Buying educational materials for the new children to be served. Selected examples include books, musical instruments, developmentally appropriate toys and consumable supplies, such as paper, paint and chalk.
• Acquiring indoor furniture and fixtures for the increased capacity. Selected examples include tables, chairs, cribs and sleeping mats.
• Creating an outdoor learning environment that accommodates the additional children. Selected examples include building pathways, gardens or activity centers, such as a mud kitchen.
• Buying playground equipment to include more children. Selected examples include swings, sandboxes, shade areas, playsets and energy-absorbing material.
• Procuring health and safety supplies and other materials required to increase your licensed capacity. Selected examples include first aid kits, electrical outlet covers and gates.
• Having sufficient working capital on hand for the first month. Selected examples include money to cover a week of pre-opening payroll and a month of children’s food while you adjust to new subsidy and USDA food program levels.

Priority Areas

Priority will be given to applications from Aroostook, Franklin, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington Counties. In addition, applicants committing to the following will receive bonus points:

• Providing care for infants
• Providing care for toddlers
• Providing care for families income-eligible for subsidy
• Participating in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program

Application Process

There are two steps to the application process:

1. Facility Expansion Application 1 (linked below) includes the basic requirements increase your license capacity and may take several days to complete. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through June 30, 2024 or until all funds are awarded, whichever occurs first.
2. Facility Expansion Application 2 is invitation-only based on eligibility determined from Application 1 and includes a business and project plan plus an expense estimate. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through August 30, 2024 or until all funds are awarded, whichever occurs first.

Application processing time is expected to take up to five weeks from the time of submission.

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