Seattle

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Strategy Name	Strategy Type(s)	Year	Funding Amount	Funding Source	Features at a Glance
Child Care Facilities Grants In 2021, in an ordinance related to its COVID-19 response, Seattle created a new fund and amended its 2021 budget to allocate funds specifically for child care capital improvements. Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funds were established under the American Rescue Plan Act to help households, businesses, and nonprofits in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The Human Services Department provided up to $5 million of these funds and up to $1 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to increase licensed capacity in preschool and child care facilities across the city. Eligible providers could apply for grants between $10,000 and $2 million; they were required to have experience serving children from birth to 5 years. Eligible activities for the grant include construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of facilities that increase the licensed capacity of direct service delivery space; and construction of new facilities that expands licensed capacity to serve children, either from the ground up or by substantially remodeling existing buildings. Awards were first issued on September 9, 2022, and will continue until December 31, 2024. Learn More: Seattle Child care facilities grant Sources:Seattle Department of Human Services. (n.d.). 2022 Child care facilities fund RFP.Seattle Department of Human Services. (2022). Question and Answer 2022 Child Care Facilities RFP.City of Seattle. (2021). Ordinance 126371.	Expansion Physical Space and Facilities	2021	$6 million	CCDBG COVID Relief Allocations – CARES, CRRSE, ARPA (CCDF & Stabilization)	Ongoing funding	In 2021, in an ordinance related to its COVID-19 response, Seattle created a new fund and amended its 2021 budget to allocate funds specifically for child care capital improvements. Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funds were established under the American Rescue Plan Act to help households, businesses, and nonprofits in communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. The Human Services Department provided up to $5 million of these funds and up to $1 million in Community Development Block Grant funding to increase licensed capacity in preschool and child care facilities across the city. Eligible providers could apply for grants between $10,000 and $2 million; they were required to have experience serving children from birth to 5 years. Eligible activities for the grant include construction, renovation, or rehabilitation of facilities that increase the licensed capacity of direct service delivery space; and construction of new facilities that expands licensed capacity to serve children, either from the ground up or by substantially remodeling existing buildings. Awards were first issued on September 9, 2022, and will continue until December 31, 2024. Learn More: Seattle Child care facilities grant Sources:Seattle Department of Human Services. (n.d.). 2022 Child care facilities fund RFP.Seattle Department of Human Services. (2022). Question and Answer 2022 Child Care Facilities RFP.City of Seattle. (2021). Ordinance 126371.
Childcare Near You Ordinance In August 2020, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the Childcare Near You ordinance, amending the city’s Land Use Code to allow child care centers to operate in all commercial and residential zones, including areas zoned for single-family housing. Advocates for the ordinance hoped that it would remove regulatory barriers to creating new in-home child care businesses in Seattle by reducing the time and costs associated with the permitting process. learn more: childcare near you ordinance Sources: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections. (n.d.). Childcare Ordinance - What & Why. Peha, J. (2020, August 17). Councilmember Strauss’ Childcare Near You Ordinance Passes. Seattle City Council Blog. Bicknell Argerious, N. (2020, August 21). New Seattle Law Opens Door to Childcare within a 15-Minute Walk of Every Home. The Urbanist. Childcare Near You Ordinance (2020).	Expansion Physical Space and Facilities	2020			Ordinance amended the city’s Land Use Code to allow child care centers to operate in all commercial and residential zones, including areas zoned for single-family housing	In August 2020, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the Childcare Near You ordinance, amending the city’s Land Use Code to allow child care centers to operate in all commercial and residential zones, including areas zoned for single-family housing. Advocates for the ordinance hoped that it would remove regulatory barriers to creating new in-home child care businesses in Seattle by reducing the time and costs associated with the permitting process. learn more: childcare near you ordinance Sources: Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections. (n.d.). Childcare Ordinance - What & Why. Peha, J. (2020, August 17). Councilmember Strauss’ Childcare Near You Ordinance Passes. Seattle City Council Blog. Bicknell Argerious, N. (2020, August 21). New Seattle Law Opens Door to Childcare within a 15-Minute Walk of Every Home. The Urbanist. Childcare Near You Ordinance (2020).
Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) Seattle's Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) was created to support the educational and developmental needs of children in Seattle from birth to postsecondary programs. DEEL is responsible for leadership, direction, policy development, interdepartmental and interagency communication and coordination for early learning programs and education programs and policies and serves as the city's higher education liaison. It works in partnership with the Seattle School District No. 1 (Seattle Public Schools), the Seattle Colleges, government agencies, and community-based organizations. DEEL's nationally recognized Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) provides universal access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. The program has grown from serving 280 children in 2015 to more than 2,130 children during the 2022–23 school year, with 75 percent of children attending at no cost. With 138 classrooms across 90 sites, 76 of which are operated by community-based providers, 36 by Seattle Public Schools, and 26 by family child care providers, SPP offers culturally responsive curricula to a diverse population of children and families. DEEL’s Early Learning division also oversees the city’s Child Care Assistance Program and has provided essential supports to stabilize the child care industry during the pandemic with the goal of strengthening the city’s early learning ecosystem. Learn more: Seattle Department of Education and Learning Source: Office of the Mayor (2022). Seattle Preschool Program Expands for 2022-2023	Infrastructure to Support Early Childhood Systems Administrative + Governance Models	2018	$121 million in 2022	City Dedicated Funding Stream Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy (FEPP Levy) is active for seven years – approved by voters in November 2018	Department facilitates collaboration across public schools, government agencies, and community-based organizations	Seattle's Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) was created to support the educational and developmental needs of children in Seattle from birth to postsecondary programs. DEEL is responsible for leadership, direction, policy development, interdepartmental and interagency communication and coordination for early learning programs and education programs and policies and serves as the city's higher education liaison. It works in partnership with the Seattle School District No. 1 (Seattle Public Schools), the Seattle Colleges, government agencies, and community-based organizations. DEEL's nationally recognized Seattle Preschool Program (SPP) provides universal access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds. The program has grown from serving 280 children in 2015 to more than 2,130 children during the 2022–23 school year, with 75 percent of children attending at no cost. With 138 classrooms across 90 sites, 76 of which are operated by community-based providers, 36 by Seattle Public Schools, and 26 by family child care providers, SPP offers culturally responsive curricula to a diverse population of children and families. DEEL’s Early Learning division also oversees the city’s Child Care Assistance Program and has provided essential supports to stabilize the child care industry during the pandemic with the goal of strengthening the city’s early learning ecosystem. Learn more: Seattle Department of Education and Learning Source: Office of the Mayor (2022). Seattle Preschool Program Expands for 2022-2023
Property Tax for Seattle Preschool Program In 2014, Seattle voters passed a referendum to increase local property taxes to provide dedicated funding for the Seattle Preschool Program. The tax increase allocates 11 cents of every $1,000 in assessed value to fund the program. The measure was sent to a wider vote in 2018, where it passed to secure funding for 7 more years. The tax contributes roughly $6.8 million per year toward the preschool program. learn more: Seattle property tax referendum Sources: Seattle Times. (2018). Seattle City Council sends $600 million-plus education levy to November ballotSeattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy Fact Sheet.Seattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Mayor Jenny Durkan Statement on Voters’ Approval of Her Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Plan.	Dedicated Funding Streams & Financing Taxes Property Tax	2014	$6.8 million annually	City Dedicated Funding Stream	Tax contributes roughly $6.8 million per year toward the Seattle Preschool Program	In 2014, Seattle voters passed a referendum to increase local property taxes to provide dedicated funding for the Seattle Preschool Program. The tax increase allocates 11 cents of every $1,000 in assessed value to fund the program. The measure was sent to a wider vote in 2018, where it passed to secure funding for 7 more years. The tax contributes roughly $6.8 million per year toward the preschool program. learn more: Seattle property tax referendum Sources: Seattle Times. (2018). Seattle City Council sends $600 million-plus education levy to November ballotSeattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Families, Education, Preschool and Promise Levy Fact Sheet.Seattle Office of the Mayor. (2018). Mayor Jenny Durkan Statement on Voters’ Approval of Her Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Plan.
Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax In 2018, Seattle instituted a 1.75 cents per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, which benefits multiple municipal programs, including the Seattle Preschool Program. In FY2020, the fund produced almost $5 million to invest in early learning and child development programs. Learn More/Source: Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax	Dedicated Funding Streams & Financing Taxes Soda Tax				In fiscal year 2020, the tax generated almost $5 million to support early ed programs	In 2018, Seattle instituted a 1.75 cents per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, which benefits multiple municipal programs, including the Seattle Preschool Program. In FY2020, the fund produced almost $5 million to invest in early learning and child development programs. Learn More/Source: Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax