ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan this week announced that the State of Maryland will provide an additional $50 million in grant funding to support child care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Child care is one of our most essential services, and keeping facilities open and available to parents with minimal disruption is a top priority,” said Governor Hogan. “We want to thank our providers for all of their efforts, and we look forward to working closely with them to allocate this critical relief.”

The Maryland State Department of Education has administered two rounds of stabilization grants utilizing $285 million of federal funding. With federal funds exhausted, the governor is taking action in his Fiscal Year 2023 budget to extend the program and provide additional relief to providers.

Grant funds can be used to cover expenses associated with providing, or preparing to provide, child care during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as personnel costs, rent or mortgage payments, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), mental health support for children and employees, as well as prior expenses.

The governor’s FY 23 budget will also support child care providers by committing:

• $5.2 million to support child care staff in Maryland with attaining credentials;
• $5 million for awards to providers who participate in Maryland EXCELS, Maryland’s quality rating and improvement system for child care and early education programs;
• $3 million for continued support of local Head Start programs; and
• $1 million for the Child Care Accreditation Support Fund, which assists child care providers with the costs of achieving accreditation

On Friday, the governor announced that the state is increasing utility and electric assistance to address the rise in home heating costs. Additional budget announcements will be made throughout the week.