C.R.S. Section 26.5-3-804
Employer-based child care facility grant program

  • created
  • timeline and criteria
  • eligibility
  • grant awards
  • reports
  • funding
  • definitions
  • repeal

(1)

As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a)

“Child care center” has the same meaning as set forth in section 26.5-5-303.

(b)

“Child care desert” means a community or area in the state where there are more than three children less than five years of age for each available child care slot.

(c)

“Eligible entity” means a Colorado employer or multiple employers.

(d)

“Grant program” means the employer-based child care facility grant program created in subsection (2) of this section.

(2)

There is created in the department the employer-based child care facility grant program. The purpose of the grant program is to provide eligible entities with money to construct, remodel, renovate, or retrofit a child care center on the site or near to the site of the eligible entity’s property to provide licensed child care services to the eligible entity’s employees, thus supporting the eligible entity’s workforce participation and providing safe, stable, and quality care for the eligible entity’s employees’ children.

(3)

The department shall solicit and review grant applications from eligible entities beginning on or before June 30, 2021, and every June 30 thereafter through June 30, 2024, and begin to award grants no later than September 1, 2021, and every September 1 thereafter through September 1, 2024. Each application must include, at a minimum:

(a)

A business plan that includes:

(I)

A description of the construction, renovation, remodeling, or retrofitting of a child care center on-site or near to the site of the eligible entity;

(II)

A commitment to provide a financial match, as described in subsection (4) of this section;

(III)

A description of how the eligible entity will address the particular child care needs among the eligible entity’s employees, such as nontraditional-hour care or infant and toddler care;

(IV)

A description of how the eligible entity will financially sustain the child care center beyond the grant period;

(V)

The estimated total cost and budget for the construction, renovation, remodeling, or retrofitting of the child care center;

(VI)

If the eligible entity leases the space to be renovated, remodeled, retrofitted, or have a new facility constructed on the property, a copy of a current, valid lease that contains specific authorizations from the property owner to make the requested alterations to the property or a written statement from the landlord expressing consent to the requested alterations;

(VII)

Written assurance that the eligible entity will connect its employees to resources describing available public early childhood care and education assistance; and

(VIII)

Any other components the department requires to adequately assess the grant application, including a commitment regarding the duration of time the eligible entity seeks to occupy the space to be renovated, remodeled, retrofitted, or constructed;

(b)

Written assurance that the eligible entity will obtain a child care license pursuant to part 3 of article 5 of this title 26.5; and

(c)

Written assurance that the employees of the eligible entity will have first priority for open slots at the child care center before those slots are offered to nonemployees.

(4)

Eligible entities must provide a financial match to a grant award as follows:

(a)

A for-profit employer shall provide a fifty percent match; and

(b)

A nonprofit or government employer shall provide a twenty-five percent match.

(5)

In determining grant awards for the grant program, the department shall consider applicants that might require waiver of child care licensing rules in the following areas:

(a)

A location that prevents the applicant from offering child care programs on the ground floor; and

(b)

A location that prevents the applicant from providing an outdoor space.

(6)

In determining grant awards for the grant program, the department shall prioritize:

(a)

Applicants that serve a high percentage of employees with wages below the area’s median income;

(b)

Applications with plans to meet the level four standard of the Colorado shines quality rating and improvement system, pursuant to section 26.5-5-101;

(c)

Applications with a stated commitment to and a business plan for a well-compensated child care staff;

(d)

Applications with a plan for innovative models, such as co-ops, hubs, or microcenters;

(e)

Applicants with a plan to serve children in child care deserts or in regions with low child care capacity;

(f)

Applicants with staff that represent or reflect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the families living or working in their community, including dual-language learners; and

(g)

Applicants whose primary industry and area of business is other than child care.

(7)

The department shall provide grantees with information and referrals to services that support implementation of quality care, including:

(a)

Training for teachers and directors on quality child care, including linguistically and culturally competent care, child development, and program improvement; and

(b)

Public early childhood assistance programs for families, including, but not limited to:

(I)

Child care subsidies;

(II)

Preschool and early childhood education assistance; and

(III)

Child nutrition programs.

(8)

On or before January 30, 2023, and on or before January 30, 2025, the department shall report progress on the grant program as part of its “State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act” hearing required by section 2-7-203. At a minimum, the report must include:

(a)

The number of eligible entities that received a grant through the grant program;

(b)

The number of children and families that received child care services as a result of the grants, reported in aggregate and by grantee;

(c)

The number of early childhood educators and staff hired as a result of the grant program;

(d)

The Colorado shines quality rating of each grantee;

(e)

Any innovative approaches that were used as a result of the grant program that may be replicated by other employers; and

(f)

Any other relevant information about the grant program, including the industry type of the entity and geographic region served by the entity.

(8.5)

Intentionally left blank —Ed.

(a)

For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate ten million dollars from the economic recovery and relief cash fund created in section 24-75-228 to the department for the purposes of implementing this section.

(b)

Money spent pursuant to this subsection (8.5) must conform with the allowable purposes set forth in the federal “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”, Pub.L. 117-2, as amended. The department shall either spend or obligate such appropriation prior to December 30, 2024, and expend the appropriation on or before December 31, 2026.

(c)

The department shall comply with the compliance, reporting, record-keeping, and program evaluation requirements established by the office of state planning and budgeting and the state controller in accordance with section 24-75-226 (5).

(d)

This subsection (8.5) is repealed, effective September 1, 2027.

(9)

This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2027.

Source: Section 26.5-3-804 — Employer-based child care facility grant program - created - timeline and criteria - eligibility - grant awards - reports - funding - definitions - repeal, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-26.­5.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

26.5‑3‑101
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑102
Definitions
26.5‑3‑103
Program created - repeal
26.5‑3‑104
Selection of centers - grants
26.5‑3‑201
Short title
26.5‑3‑202
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑203
Definitions
26.5‑3‑204
Colorado child abuse prevention board - creation - members - terms - vacancies - reimbursement for expenses
26.5‑3‑205
Powers and duties of the board
26.5‑3‑206
Colorado child abuse prevention trust fund - creation - source of funds
26.5‑3‑207
Disbursement of grants from the trust fund - restrictions
26.5‑3‑208
Report - repeal of part
26.5‑3‑301
Definitions
26.5‑3‑302
Child care services and substance use disorder treatment pilot program - created - purposes - eligibility - evaluation - funding - rules
26.5‑3‑303
Repeal of part
26.5‑3‑401
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑402
Definitions - repeal
26.5‑3‑403
Early intervention services - administration - duties of department - rules - repeal
26.5‑3‑404
Child find - responsibilities - interagency operating agreements
26.5‑3‑405
Authorized services - conditions of funding - purchases of services - rules - repeal
26.5‑3‑406
Coordinated system of payment for early intervention services - duties of departments - repeal
26.5‑3‑407
Cooperation among state agencies - implementing coordinated payment system - revisions to rules
26.5‑3‑408
Certified early intervention service brokers - duties - payment for early intervention services - fees - repeal
26.5‑3‑409
Payment from private health insurance for early intervention services - trust fund
26.5‑3‑410
Annual report - cooperation from certified early intervention service brokers and qualified providers
26.5‑3‑501
Short title
26.5‑3‑502
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑503
Definitions
26.5‑3‑504
Nurse home visitor program - created - rules
26.5‑3‑505
Health sciences facility - duties
26.5‑3‑506
Program applications - requirements
26.5‑3‑507
Selection of entities to administer the program - grants - nurse home visitor program fund - created
26.5‑3‑508
Annual program review - audit
26.5‑3‑601
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑602
Definitions
26.5‑3‑603
Social-emotional learning programs grant program - created - implementation partner - application - selection - funding - rules
26.5‑3‑701
Definitions
26.5‑3‑702
Early childhood mental health consultation - statewide program - creation - purpose - rules
26.5‑3‑703
Model of early childhood mental health consultation - standards and guidelines - qualifications
26.5‑3‑704
Statewide professional development plan for early childhood mental health consultants
26.5‑3‑705
Statewide qualifications and competencies for early childhood mental health consultants
26.5‑3‑706
Data collection - reporting
26.5‑3‑707
Funding support
26.5‑3‑801
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑802
Child care sustainability grant program - created - timeline and criteria - grant awards - funding - definitions
26.5‑3‑803
Emerging and expanding child care grant program - created - timeline and criteria - grant awards - funding - definitions - repeal
26.5‑3‑804
Employer-based child care facility grant program - created - timeline and criteria - eligibility - grant awards - reports - funding - definitions - repeal
26.5‑3‑805
Early care and education recruitment and retention grant and scholarship program - created - criteria and eligibility - grant and scholarship awards - reports - funding - rules - definitions - repeal
26.5‑3‑806
Child care teacher salary grant program - created - timeline - criteria and eligibility - grant awards - reports - definitions
26.5‑3‑807
Community innovation and resilience for care and learning equity (CIRCLE) grant program - created - criteria - definitions
26.5‑3‑808
Family, friend, and neighbor support programs - advisory group - training and support program - funding - definitions - repeal
26.5‑3‑901
Legislative declaration
26.5‑3‑902
Definition
26.5‑3‑903
Family-strengthening grant programs - authorized requirements - implementation partner - rules
26.5‑3‑904
Home visiting grant program - authorized requirements - implementation partner - rules - definition - repeal
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 26.5-3-804’s source at colorado​.gov