Originally published by Pima County
Pima County is offering $2 million in a small business assistance grant program to reimburse child care providers for costs associated with reopening and operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The County will provide up to $10,000 per business owner.
Eligible cost for reimbursement includes rent, lease and mortgage payments; utilities; payroll expenses; licensing fees; liability insurance; cleaning supplies; classroom materials and supplies, personal protective equipment; and renovations to meet pandemic operational guidelines.
Program eligibility requirements:
Child care business is outside of the City of Tucson.
Business must be a Certified DES Family Child Care Provider or an Arizona Department of Health Services licensed Child Care Center.
Business must have 30 employees or less.
Business finances must have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Business must have been legally established as of February 2020.
You must provide invoices and proof of payment for reimbursable expenses made since March 1, 2020.
You are limited to one grant per business owner (not per physical business location).
The grant will be administered as a collaboration between two County departments -- Grants Management and Innovation (GMI) and Community & Workforce Development (CWD), using CWD’s ZoomGrant application platform. The application will be open from August 14 to August 28.
The County, as part of its Back to Business campaign, recognizes child care as critical to the economy because it allows parents to return to work. Many child care providers have not reopened, and others are operating at significantly reduced enrollment rates.
The program is funded by the County’s federal CARES Act grant.
Read the memorandum from County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry. For questions or more information, email Nicole Fyffe.
