(Watertown) A Dodge County service organization was the recent recipient of a Project Growth grant. The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families announced over $20-million-dollars that will go towards a number of community teams and businesses to help solve challenges facing the state’s childcare system.
Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation was an applicant through the Dream Up! Child Care Supply-Building grant program. Administered by First Children’s Finance, the program focuses on building childcare supply through a collaborative community approach. Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation is one of 28 cross-sector teams that will receive strategic planning support and $75-thousand-dollars in grant funding to evaluate, plan, sustain, and expand existing childcare offerings.
Additional $5,000 stipends will be allocated to participating childcare providers who submit business improvement plans during the strategic planning process. During the five-week application period the Project Growth grant program received 39 Dream Up! applications.
While funding was limited, the Department of Childcare and Families was able to award grants to communities and businesses in each region of the state, with an emphasis on areas deemed childcare deserts.
–Photo courtesy of the Department of Childcare and Families Facebook page
