Yes. Child care facilities are requested to sign a new Affordability Grant Agreement for the 2023/24 period through the Child Care Licensing portal.

For grants up to $250,000, you must provide a certificate verifying the appropriate use of funds and submit a financial report. Grants ranging from $250,001 to $500,000 require a review engagement on income and expenditures and accompanying financial statements. Grants exceeding $500,000 necessitate the submission of a signed audited financial statement showing the income and expenditures.

Licensed child care programs, including preschools, daycares, and family day homes operated under licensed agencies, are eligible for the Affordability Grant if they provide care to infants, toddlers, and kindergarten-age children attending child care during regular school hours. Both for-profit and nonprofit operators are eligible. For detailed information regarding your program's eligibility, please contact your local Children's Services office and speak with your licensing officer. If you require assistance in reaching your local licensing staff, you can call Child Care Connect at 1-844-5165.

Programs/spaces that:

• Are not licensed
• Do not charge a fee to parents
• Only provide out-of-school care for children attending kindergarten full-time (five full days per week) to grade six
• Have children registered for less than 50 hours per month (except for preschool programs)

Programs/spaces that:

• Are not licensed
• Do not charge a fee to parents
• Only provide out-of-school care for children attending kindergarten full-time (five full days per week) to grade six
• Have children registered for less than 50 hours per month (except for preschool programs)

You are required to validate the pre populated fees in Schedule A in the Child Care Licensing Portal, then sign the Affordability Grant Agreement. Funding is paid within 5 to 10 business days after having submitted your monthly claim. New operators will need to fill out Schedule A to report their fees for the first time.

Questions about adding spaces to your licensed child care program and approval of spaces for Affordability Grant should be directed to your licensing officer and/or to your regional Child Care Licensing office. If you already have an approved Affordability Grant for your program for any new approved funded spaces that are captured through the claims submission, just be sure to go through the audit process to remain compliant with the new financial statement requirements.

Changes or amendments cannot be made to the agreement, therefore it’s important to ensure Schedule A is accurate prior to signing.