Child Care Expansion Grant

Expansion

Physical Space and Facilities

In 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $30 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to licensed child care providers to expand capacity in Nevada “child care deserts,” defined as any census tract with more than 50 children under age 5 years that contains either no child care providers or so few options that there are more than 3 times as many children as licensed child care slots. 18 proposals out of 92 were approved.

Learn More: Nevada’s Child Care Expansion Grant

Source: Nevada Recovers. (n.d.). Child care centers approved for federal funds.

Connections to Key Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) Findings:

High-quality, affordable early education and care supports children’s healthy development and allows families to work, engage in their own educational pursuits, and/or participate in other aspects of community life. To support children and families in these instrumental ways, research suggests there is a need to expand the availability of early education opportunities across the mixed-delivery system.

Findings from the Early Learning Study at Harvard (ELS@H) show:

Families rely on a range of formal (e.g., Head Start, center-based care, public pre-K) and more informal (e.g., home-based, relative care) early education settings; when choosing a setting for their child, families balance many logistical constraints and personal preferences.
But for many families – and especially low- and middle-income families – early education choices remain tightly constrained due to issues of affordability and supply.

Learn More About ELS@H Findings