Child Care Business Expansion Grant Program

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) is offering the Child Care Business Expansion Grant Program to support licensed child care businesses in Connecticut that are preparing to expand their operations. This initiative is funded through the generous support of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) and is designed to address the growing need for expanded child care services by providing direct financial assistance to eligible providers. The program offers cash grants of up to $25,000 to OEC-licensed family homes (DCFH), group homes (DCGH), and centers (DCCC) that have been in operation for at least two years and are currently serving enrolled children. Eligible applicants must be pursuing specific expansion activities, including increasing their licensed capacity or enrollment by at least three full-time equivalent slots, opening a new location, or transitioning from a family home to a group home or from a group home to a center. The purpose of the funding is to create measurable impacts on the business’s growth, profitability, and ability to serve more families. Grant funds may be used to support expansion-related expenses and must align with the applicant’s documented growth plans. WBDC provides resources such as a Proposed Use of Funds Tracker to help applicants plan and detail their intended expenditures, along with templates for historical and projected financials. Applicants must also provide a status letter of good standing from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) to confirm their state taxes are up to date. The WBDC advises starting this process early to avoid delays in obtaining the required documentation. The application period for the current round is from August 1 to August 31, with no indication that the program operates on a rolling basis. This is a competitive process, and WBDC will not be able to fund all strong applicants. Interested parties are encouraged to attend an information session and take advantage of free one-on-one advising services offered by WBDC to strengthen their applications. All submissions must meet the eligibility requirements and be completed in accordance with WBDC’s guidelines. While there is no indication of matching fund requirements, applicants must ensure their proposals clearly demonstrate how the grant will have a tangible impact on their capacity and service delivery. Ineligible applicants or those needing alternative funding are encouraged to contact WBDC for other available child care business grant programs. Applicants can direct questions about the application process to childcaregrants@ctwbdc.org or by calling (203) 353-1750 x129 for English or (203) 353-1750 x113 for Spanish. This contact information ensures that prospective grantees can receive personalized support and clarifications throughout the application process. All application materials and templates are accessible via the WBDC website.

Attend an information session and use WBDC’s free 1:1 advising services to improve application quality.