The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded $5.6 million in funding to 37 early-learning providers in the state to help with building renovations and child care access.
The funds are derived from Early Learning Facilities grants and are the result of a collaboration between Commerce and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families to aid early education in the state. Together, the organizations received 325 applications for funding that would have totaled $277 million. Supplemental funding was made available by the Legislature to further aid the program, with 37 facilities ultimately selected.
The ELF grant funding will go toward repairs and renovations, along with some communities obtaining funding to completely build out their first child care provider.
“Investing in child care really means investing in families,” Interim Commerce Director Sarah Clifthorne said in a release. “When we help providers keep their doors open, we strengthen our communities, help kids get ready for school, and make it easier for parents to work and build economic stability.”
Since ELF’s inception in 2017, the program has awarded around $290 million to more than 20,000 child care facilities across the state.