The Johnson County Empowerment/Early Childhood Iowa Area Board has funds available for licensed childcare centers to provide supported childcare for medically complex children.

Any licensed childcare centers participating in QRS or IQ4K, participating in Iowa’s Childcare Assistance Program and serving families in Johnson County are eligible to apply. Funds are available for contract dates Jan. 1 to June 30, 2023, with a possibility of up to two renewal years. Total funding of up to $26,200 is available for this project.

Funding service objectives are to:

• increase availability of childcare spaces for children with complex medical needs;
• increase quality of early education provided to children with complex medical needs;
• increase skill levels of childcare center staff serving children with complex medical needs through training and consultations related to those needs; and
• support retention and recruitment of high-quality staff by providing incentives for childcare center staff working with medically complex children.

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Applications are available at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/bids-and-proposals.

For additional information, contact Sam Turnbull, Empowerment/Early Childhood Coordinator at 319-356-6090 or [email protected].