HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Today, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced a $98 million grant opportunity which will benefit certified child care providers across Pennsylvania.

The grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and will be used to reward child care workers with retention bonuses and increase personnel development and recruitment efforts.

Child care centers were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and families across the country continued to rely on child care centers for quality, equitable child care.

Applications for these grants will be accepted from May 16 until June 17, 2022. Funds will be released to approved child care providers from July 1 until September 30, 2022.

In the fall, DHS announced its plan to release $655 million from the American Rescue Plan Act for Pennsylvania’s child care industry.

The Child Care Development Fund, a subsection of the American Rescue Plan Act, is also providing $352 million in funding to Pennsylvania’s Child Care Works (CCW) to decrease costs for families and incentivize care providers who work beyond traditional hours.

For more information about how to apply for funding, visit www.pakey.org. To find licensed child care programs in Pennsylvania, visit www.findchildcare.pa.gov.