Governor Kelly Announces Nearly $28M to Create
458 Child Care Slots, Construct New Community
Multi-Purpose Facilities
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund today announced the creation of 458 new child care slots with the investment of nearly $28 million in Capital Projects Fund Accelerator (CPF Accelerator) awards to seven Kansas communities. These funds will build or renovate multi-purpose community facilities that create new licensed child care slots; provide access to high-speed internet; and house programs that facilitate work, education, and health care monitoring.
“There’s no question that more Kansas families need access to child care to support their child’s development, enter the workforce, and contribute to our economy,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “By creating 458 child care slots and providing access to other essential services, these projects will enable families to put down roots in our communities.”
These grants are made possible using American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funding from the U.S. Department of Treasury Capital Projects Fund, which awarded $40 million to Kansas for this program in early September.
The first round of grants provided $10.3 million to three community projects in Lawrence, Hays, and Emporia. Through two rounds of funding, the Capitol Projects Fund Accelerator has provided $38 million to create 771 new child care slots at multi-purpose community facilities. Combined with the Child Care Capacity Accelerator program grants previously announced last year, the Kelly administration has provided $94 million to expand access to child care for working families. These two funding opportunities have funded the creation of nearly 6,400 child care slots.
“Supporting early literacy and healthy development opens doors to success and opportunities for our children and families,” Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Kansas Senate District 29, said. “The creation of the Storytime Village Literacy Center will strengthen early childhood development and provide families much-needed access to quality care and resources in my community and across Wichita.”
The Governor’s Budget also includes an additional $30 million to continue grant programs that fund the construction of new child care slots.
“Once again, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet is delighted to provide resources for the construction of community buildings that can serve local needs in a holistic way,” said Melissa Rooker, Executive Director of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. “These are exciting projects that will improve quality of life, support job seekers, provide innovative resources for continuing education, and improve health outcomes for families.”
“It is impressive to see communities across Kansas come together to develop such innovative approaches to meeting their child care needs,” said Don Hineman, Chair of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet. “It is truly an honor to have the opportunity to support these efforts.”
Award grantees include:
| Grantee | City | Funding Awarded | Slots Added | Project Overview |
| ABCC/Great Bend Economic Development | Great Bend | $4,382,493 | 28 | Community innovation hub centered on empowerment with overnight child care, makerspace, and health screenings |
| Clay County Growth Alliance, Inc., DBA Grow Clay County | Clay Center | $3,597,250 | 48 | Multi-generational center offering both child care and senior services with mental health and training resources on-site. |
| Greater Manhattan Community Foundation | Manhattan | $3,500,000 | 80 | Multi-purpose incubator space for child care providers and local health, higher ed and technical programs, and job training partners |
| KidZone Learning Center | Overland Park | $1,251,100 | 88 | Multi-purpose facility expanding access to child care, education, entrepreneurship resources, and mental health counseling services. |
| St. Benedict’s Abbey | Atchison | $4,999,999 | 140 | Former correctional complex site with career closet, care coordination services, and 24-hour child care |
| Storytime Village, Inc. | Wichita | $4,999,999 | 50 | Literacy-based community center for all ages focused on removing barriers for families to receive quality care and resources. |
| USD 258 | Humboldt | $4,970,400 | 24 | Community Care Center, including child care, career counseling, adult learning resources, and a pharmacy. |
| Total: | $27,745,991 | 458 |
Kansas was previously awarded $83.5 million from the Capital Projects Fund to build reliable broadband infrastructure and extend high-speed internet to more than 24,500 homes, businesses, schools, health care facilities, and other public institutions in underserved counties across the state. A portion of Kansas’ $40 million award for the CPF Accelerator will be used to assist in administering the program.
Click here to learn more about the Capital Projects Fund Accelerator.
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