Missouri nonprofit announces child care grants

JEFFERSON CITY — As Missouri’s child care crisis continues to impact parents and providers, lawmakers are struggling to get appropriations bills across the finish line tax for child care.

Gov. Mike Parson said addressing the child care crisis was a top legislative priority during his State of the State address in January. However, bills creating new child care tax credits, supported by Parson, are stalled in the Senate.

About 78 percent of Missouri’s counties are child care deserts, or areas where only one in three children have access to child care. This year, delays in paying state subsidies have exacerbated ongoing problems finding child care, with centers forced to close.

The Child Care Tax Credits Bill, or House Bill 1488, includes three components: the Child Care Contributions Tax Credit Act, the Child Care Contributions Tax Credit Act, Child Care Provider Tax and the Employer-Provided Child Care Assistance Tax Credit Act.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 113 to 39. It was then placed on the Senate’s informal calendar. However, as Democratic senators continue to obstruct initiative petition reform, it is unclear when, or if, the Senate will hear other bills.

Rep. Brenda Shields, who sponsored the bill, said she hoped the Senate would pass the bill if the filibuster ends.

“It had broad bipartisan support on the House side,” said Shields, R-St Joseph. “…I hope they can talk about it and embrace it.”

Missouri Women’s Business Center announces grant opportunities for Columbia child care centers

The Missouri Women’s Business Center (MoWBC), with the support of Columbia City and National League of Cities leaders, has introduced two new funding opportunities for child care providers in Columbia. Applicants can apply for a child care project grant and a grant to expand existing child care services.

The primary goal of these two grants is to facilitate the creation of additional child care spaces to meet the growing demand for quality child care, according to Erica Schmidt, director of communications and development at Central Missouri Community Action.

“We are excited to launch the Start-Up and Expansion Grants to help child care businesses in Colombia thrive,” said Nadia Ryakhmyatullov, Business Training Trainer at MoWBC. “This grant aims to provide financial support for providers to continue their great work.”

The finalists, who will be announced in June, will receive one-on-one business coaching before a pitch competition in July. MoWBC director Jayme Prenger said the one-on-one coaching will be valuable to childcare providers who may need to learn more about the business side of running a childcare center.

“Child care businesses have many state-mandated requirements, and the federal government requires them to be in business and caring for children,” Prenger said. “…They’re all operating on shoestring budgets, and you know, we want to help them operate as efficiently as possible to take advantage of the grants.”

Although Prenger acknowledged that Boone County is not a child care desert, she said the child care crisis continues to impact the county.

“It’s definitely a crisis,” Prenger said. “Boone County, I don’t think it’s considered a desert right now. But it’s certainly something that needs to be taken care of, with a partnership between government, businesses and the providers themselves- We are just here to support and help in any way we can.”

The deadline to complete a grant application is May 31 at 5 p.m. Applicants should email [email protected] for application details and eligibility.