Subdivision 1. Distribution of grant funds. (a) The commissioner shall distribute funds to the child care resource and referral programs designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, for child care grants to centers under subdivision 5 and family child care programs based upon the following factors.

(b) Up to ten percent of funds appropriated for grants under this section may be used by the commissioner for statewide child care development initiatives, training initiatives, collaboration programs, and research and data collection. The commissioner shall develop eligibility guidelines and a process to distribute funds under this paragraph.

(c) At least 90 percent of funds appropriated for grants under this section may be distributed by the commissioner to child care resource and referral programs under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, for child care center grants and family child care grants based on the following factors:

(1) the number of children under 13 years of age needing child care in the region;

(2) the region served by the program;

(3) the ratio of children under 13 years of age needing child care to the number of licensed spaces in the region;

(4) the number of licensed child care providers and school-age care programs in the region; and

(5) other related factors determined by the commissioner.

(d) Child care resource and referral programs must award child care center grants and family child care grants based on the recommendation of the child care district proposal review committees under subdivision 3.

(e) The commissioner may distribute funds under this section for a two-year period.

Subd. 2. [Renumbered subd 1, paras (c), (d), and (e)]

Subd. 3. Child care district proposal review committees. (a) Child care district proposal review committees review applications for family child care grants and child care center grants under this section and make funding recommendations to the child care resource and referral program designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a. Each region within a district must be represented on the review committee. The child care district proposal review committees must complete their reviews and forward their recommendations to the child care resource and referral district programs by the date specified by the commissioner.

(b) A child care resource and referral district program shall establish a process to select members of the child care district proposal review committee. Members must reflect a broad cross-section of the community, and may include the following constituent groups: family child care providers, child care center providers, school-age care providers, parents who use child care services, health services, social services, public schools, Head Start, employers, representatives of cultural and ethnic communities, and other citizens with demonstrated interest in child care issues. Members of the proposal review committee with a direct financial interest in a pending grant proposal may not provide a recommendation or participate in the ranking of that grant proposal.

(c) The child care resource and referral district program may reimburse committee members for their actual travel, child care, and child care provider substitute expenses for up to two committee meetings per year. The program may also pay a stipend to parent representatives for participating in two meetings per year.

Subd. 4. [Repealed, 1999 c 205 art 5 s 22]

Subd. 5. Child care services grants. (a) A child care resource and referral program designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants for:

(1) creating new licensed child care facilities and expanding existing facilities, including, but not limited to, supplies, equipment, facility renovation, and remodeling;

(2) improving licensed child care facility programs;

(3) staff training and development services including, but not limited to, in-service training, curriculum development, accreditation, certification, consulting, resource centers, program and resource materials, supporting effective teacher-child interactions, child-focused teaching, and content-driven classroom instruction;

(4) capacity building through the purchase of appropriate technology to create, enhance, and maintain business management systems;

(5) emergency assistance for child care programs;

(6) new programs or projects for the creation, expansion, or improvement of programs that serve ethnic immigrant and refugee communities; and

(7) targeted recruitment initiatives to expand and build the capacity of the child care system and to improve the quality of care provided by legal nonlicensed child care providers.

(b) A child care resource and referral organization designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants of up to $1,000 to family child care providers. These grants may be used for:

(1) facility improvements, including, but not limited to, improvements to meet licensing requirements;

(2) improvements to expand a child care facility or program;

(3) toys and equipment;

(4) technology and software to create, enhance, and maintain business management systems;

(5) start-up costs;

(6) staff training and development; and

(7) other uses approved by the commissioner.

(c) A child care resource and referral program designated under section 119B.19, subdivision 1a, may award child care services grants to:

(1) licensed providers;

(2) providers in the process of being licensed;

(3) corporations or public agencies that develop or provide child care services;

(4) school-age care programs;

(5) legal nonlicensed or family, friend, and neighbor care providers; or

(6) any combination of clauses (1) to (5).

(d) A child care center that is a recipient of a child care services grant for facility improvements or staff training and development must provide a 25 percent local match. A local match is not required for grants to family child care providers.

(e) Beginning July 1, 2009, grants to child care centers under this subdivision shall be increasingly awarded for activities that improve provider quality, including activities under paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (3) and (6). Grants to family child care providers shall be increasingly awarded for activities that improve provider quality, including activities under paragraph (b), clauses (1), (3), and (6).

Subd. 6. [Repealed, 1999 c 205 art 5 s 22]

Subd. 7. [Repealed, 1997 c 162 art 1 s 19]

Subd. 8. [Renumbered subd 5, para (b)]

Subd. 9. [Renumbered subd 5, para (c)]

Subd. 10. [Repealed by amendment, 2010 c 301 art 2 s 4]

Subd. 11. [Repealed, 2005 c 98 art 2 s 18]

Subd. 12. [Repealed, 1999 c 205 art 5 s 22]

History: 1989 c 282 art 2 s 155; 1990 c 426 art 1 s 32,33; 1990 c 568 art 4 s 56-58; 1991 c 292 art 5 s 66,67; 1994 c 465 art 3 s 38; 1997 c 162 art 4 s 47-56; 1999 c 205 art 5 s 12-19,21; 1Sp2003 c 14 art 9 s 29; 2007 c 147 art 2 s 14; 2008 c 361 art 3 s 9,10; 2009 c 79 art 2 s 3,4; 2010 c 301 art 2 s 4