The Orange County Board of Supervisors has approved a new $5.1 million grant, bringing the total to $10.1 million benefiting child care programs

SANTA ANA, Calif. – November 18, 2020 – The Orange County Board of Supervisors has allocated an additional $5.1 million in CARES Act emergency funding to support licensed Orange County family child care homes and center-based child care programs — bringing the total to $10.1 million to help meet the profound need in the community.

Grant organizers received applications from 843 child care providers for the initial $5 million CARES Act grant, which allowed for only 350 applicants to receive funds. Now, with the influx of additional funds, it is possible for all 843 applicants to receive financial assistance.

“The large number of applicants serves as a testament to the struggle facing local providers due to challenges posed by the pandemic,” said First 5 Orange County President and Chief Executive Officer Kim Goll. “This money will help care providers keep their doors open and allow them to continue serving Orange County’s children and families but it does not solve the problems the industry was facing prior to the pandemic.”

In a recent survey of child care providers by First 5 Orange County, 63 percent said they would have to close within the next 6 months without additional assistance. As the recent Orange County Child Care Landscape Analysis points out, the pandemic has only deepened the crisis. Nearly half of Orange County’s child care providers closed their programs from mid-March to early June, and began reopening with new requirements and reduced capacities to maintain social distancing guidelines.

The survey also showed that 44 percent had to furlough or lay off staff, and all respondents reported additional funds are needed to remain open, including for staff salaries, cleaning supplies, and facility charges. Half of the survey respondents are minority-owned businesses.

The addition of $5.1 million, sponsored by Supervisor Doug Chaffee and Supervisor Andrew Do, will be distributed by Charitable Ventures to qualified early care and education providers in Orange County. Funds are being disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible licensed or licensed-exempt child care providers in Orange County to pay staff, purchase supplies, help cover mortgage and rental costs, business resilience and environmental improvements for children’s learning spaces. Grant organizers expect to award funds to hundreds of child care centers, family homes, and group care centers.

“We received incredibly high turnout in the number of applicants for the Orange County Child Care Funding Program, which underscores the need to support child care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Supervisor Chaffee. “I’m pleased that the County of Orange is allocating another $5.1 million to meet the need of over 800 child care providers, including those who qualified but were not awarded in the first round of funding.”

Eligible providers will be notified and funding will begin to be processed on Nov. 19 and continue through Dec. 15 until all funds are expended. All funds must be spent on approved COVID-19 related expenses by Dec. 30, 2020.

Please visit www.occhildrenandfamilies.com/childcare for more information.

About First 5 Orange County Children and Families Commission

The First 5 Orange County Children and Families Commission oversees the allocation of funds from Proposition 10, which added a 50-cent tax on tobacco products sold in California. In fiscal year 2018/19, the Commission allocated more than $25 million to fund programs for young children. Children ages 0-5 received 2.8 million services. Funds help pay for early education, pediatric primary and specialty health care, children’s dental, homeless prevention, and child development programs for children from the prenatal stage to age 5 and their families. The Commission’s vision is that all young children reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.occhildrenandfamilies.com.

About Charitable Ventures

Charitable Ventures launched in 2007 to encourage the growth of innovative regional nonprofits and to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector. As a regional incubator, Charitable Ventures has fiscally sponsored more than 60 community projects and regional initiatives since inception. In 2020, Charitable Ventures sponsored more than 35 community projects and several COVID-19 relief funds on track to raise between $20 and $23 million. Charitable Ventures was also the region’s Administrative Community Based Organization for the 2020 Census. Visit charitableventuresoc.org for more information.

As an integral partner in the distribution of emergency County of Orange CARES Act funding to child care providers, First 5 Orange County was featured in several outlets detailing the news.

Among them:

• The Orange County Register had an article in both the newspaper and online: https://www.ocregister.com/2020/10/27/orange-county-sets-up-5-million-coronavirus-fund-for-local-child-care-providers/
• KFI: https://kfiam640.iheart.com/content/2020-10-28-oc-supervisors-tout-childcare-grants/
• NBC Los Angeles: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/coronavirus/oc-offering-financial-help-to-child-care-providers-affected-by-pandemic/2451457/
• OC Breeze: http://www.oc-breeze.com/2020/11/02/189529_orange-countys-covid-19-child-care-relief-program-now-accepting-applications/
• Fullerton Observer: https://fullertonobserver.com/2020/11/01/fullerton-and-orange-county-covid-19-update/
• StuNews Newport: https://stunewsnewport.com/index.php/2-uncategorised/9836-oc-supervisors-approve-5-million-grant-103020
• San Clemente Chamber: http://www.scchamber.com/news/details/county-of-orange-covid-19-child-care-relief-program

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Today, the County of Orange Child Care Relief Fund opened for child care providers to apply for funding to sustain their operations.

Orange County Supervisors unanimously allocated $5 million in CARES Act emergency funding to support licensed Orange County family child care homes and center-based child care programs — providing an important lifeline to local providers struggling to survive the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The funds will be distributed by Charitable Ventures to qualified early care and education providers in Orange County.

“This CARES Act funding is critical to rebuilding Orange County’s economy and making it possible for parents to go back to work knowing their children are safe and receiving quality care,” Fourth District Supervisor Doug Chaffee said. “Our workforce depends on quality child care and I’m pleased we received unanimous support from all the Supervisors.”

“Parents have long struggled to find accessible and affordable childcare,” said Vice Chairman Andrew Do, First District Supervisor. “The pandemic has only exacerbated challenges for working families who depend on childcare services. Orange County’s COVID-19 Child Care Relief Program will allow for a safe and reliable space for children to stay, as we continue to rebuild our economy.”

The funds may be used by eligible licensed or licensed-exempt child care providers in Orange County to pay staff, purchase supplies, help cover mortgage and rental costs, business resilience and environmental improvements for children’s learning spaces.

The grant process will be guided by a committee of representatives from First 5 Orange County, Early Childhood OC, Charitable Ventures, and the Local Planning Council representative. Funds will be dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis to all eligible applicants. The application is available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

“We are thrilled to be able to support the administration of this relief program through Charitable Ventures. Support like this will play an important role in ensuring survival for many Orange County’s child care providers, particularly those serving the infant and toddler population,” said First 5 Orange County President and Chief Executive Officer Kim Goll. “Even before the pandemic, there were not enough child care providers to support demand in Orange County.”

“These relief funds come at a critical time,” said Anne Olin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Charitable Ventures. “Emergency funding for small businesses forced to close due to the pandemic is a critical component of helping our economy recover and supporting working families.”

Earlier this month, First 5 Orange County published a detailed report that underscored the harsh child care landscape parents and providers alike are currently facing. The Orange County Child Care Landscape Analysis found there are currently only enough licensed slots to care for 5 percent of the county’s children between the ages of 0 and 2. Meanwhile, the analysis determined that, even if only one-third of infants and toddlers in Orange County required child care, there would still only be enough licensed capacity for one in seven children. Exacerbating the lack of licensed child care spots, many Orange County working families are stymied by the high price of care, which averages $15,650 yearly for one child and more than $26,000 for two children in full-time, licensed care. The high price of care and lack of availability are functions of the high costs to deliver care, and other factors included in the full report.

The analysis pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic has only deepened the crisis. Nearly half of Orange County’s child care providers closed their programs from mid-March to early June, and then began reopening with new requirements and reduced capacities to maintain social distancing guidelines.

Grant applications will be accepted during a two-week window, from October 30, 2020 through November 13, 2020. All funds received must be spent on qualified expenses by December 30, 2020. Apply for funding or for more information visit charitableventuresoc.org/county-of-orange-covid19-childcare-relief-program-final/.

About Charitable Ventures

Charitable Ventures launched in 2007 to encourage the growth of innovative regional nonprofits and to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector. As a regional incubator, Charitable Ventures has fiscally sponsored more than 60 community projects and regional initiatives since inception. In 2020, Charitable Ventures sponsored more than 35 community projects and several COVID-19 relief funds on track to raise between $20 and $23 million. Charitable Ventures was also the region’s Administrative Community Based Organization for the 2020 Census. Visit charitableventuresoc.org for more information.

About First 5 Orange County Children and Families Commission

The First 5 Orange County Children and Families Commission oversees the allocation of funds from Proposition 10, which added a 50-cent tax on tobacco products sold in California. In fiscal year 2018/19, the Commission allocated more than $25 million to fund programs for young children. Children ages 0-5 received 2.8 million services. Funds help pay for early education, pediatric primary and specialty health care, children’s dental, homeless prevention, and child development programs for children from the prenatal stage to age 5 and their families. The Commission’s vision is that all young children reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.occhildrenandfamilies.com.

In The Orange County Register’s article on the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ approval of $5 million in CARES Act funding to child-care providers, First 5 Orange County was featured for its role in the funding, its previous work supporting child-care providers and the Orange County Child Care Landscape Analysis report it released earlier this month.

The story quoted First 5 Orange County President/CEO Kim Goll saying how the funding is crucial in preventing any more quality child-care providers from closing.

An excerpt from the story:

“The intent is to be really flexible with the money,” said Kim Goll, president and chief executive officer of First 5 Orange County, the local children and families commission. “It might help some of them come back.

“It might also help us not lose any more footing. This is the bigger problem.”

First 5 has orchestrated donations of supplies to child care providers since the pandemic began. The organization also is paying the $150,000 needed for Charitable Ventures to administer the emergency funding, Goll said.

Read the Register story below, or click here.

Orange County sets up $5 million coronavirus fund for local child care providers

The Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children, as a member of the OC Emergency Child Care Taskforce, is gathering data about licensed Orange County early childhood centers and family child care homes that are open, closed, or somewhere in-between.

This survey is a follow-up to the survey that was taken in March 2020.

The linked survey is for directors and/or owners to update us on their current status and challenges; the process of “reopening”; and how they feel about the decisions, circumstances, and options in front of them. Survey results will be used to guide resources and supports for early learning and care providers. Please share the link widely, as we are hoping to reach ALL licensed early learning and care programs in Orange County.

Survey link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehzcEdaq4iFq-OVoag8EGNwy-uwTM9s7zIDl8eKrc4boMXyg/viewform