Grants and Scholarships For Community Causes and Students

Grants & Scholarships
Home-Based Child Care Emergency Assistance Grants

Hawaii Community Foundation recognizes safe and high-quality child care for essential workers as critical to Hawai’i’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Child care is equally important to help the state recover as the state’s economy—businesses, nonprofits, and other institutions—open up once again.

Hawaii Community Foundation has launched the Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Emergency Fund, powered by the Hawaii Resilience Fund (HRF), to provide relief to licensed home-based child care providers across Hawaii. The Fund is intended to support child care providers currently serving our health heroes and other essential workers. The Fund also seeks to lessen the potential for permanent closure of child care, especially in areas where home based care is the primary option for families. The awards recognize the key role child care professionals play in helping our island communities weather the COVID-19 crisis and eases the burden on providers so that their focus can be on caring for children and families and themselves.

HCF is committed to disbursing awards as quickly as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and will be due by Tuesday at 11 am each week. Applicants will hear from HCF in about a week. Funds, based on availability, will be awarded in the amount of $1,000-$3,000 per applicant. The applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Programs that are serving children of essential workers and/or accept subsidy in high-needs communities will be prioritized in the selection process.

The Home-Based Child Care Emergency Grant program is funded by the Home Grown program of the Health Federation of Philadelphia and the Hawaii Resiliency Fund of Hawaii Community Foundation. HCF is partnering with People Attentive to Children (PATCH) and Early Childhood Action Strategy to make the emergency grant program a reality.

How to Apply?

Due to high volume we are no longer accepting applications.

FAQ

  • Who is eligible to apply?
  • Any licensed Family Child Care Home provider licensed to operate in Hawaiʻi and in good standing with DHS is eligible to apply.
  • What expenses are eligible for funding?
  • Current eligible expenses funding include making up for any lost income or additional expenses incurred through COVID-19 disruptions, purchasing supplies that help you operate your program (food, essential goods, cleaning supplies) and making up for future anticipated lost income, and future costs associated with re-opening.
  • How much funding can I receive?
  • The maximum funding award amount for this application cycle will be $3,000 based on a demonstration of eligibility and need.
  • What is the deadline for applications?
  • Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and approved as long as they meet eligibility and key areas of need, while funds are available (funding at this time is available to support an estimated 40-80 eligible applicants). All applications must be received through the online survey by Tuesday at 11 am HST.
  • How can I apply if I do not have a computer or internet?
  • Please call the PATCH office for your island as staff may be able to assist you with completing the application over the phone and enter it online for you.
  • Who should I reach out to with questions about the application or online system?
  • Please reach out to HBCCgrants@hcf-hawaii.org with any questions about the fund or with questions about the application process. We will do our best to respond to you within 24 hours. Alternatively, you can join Zoom office hours about the opportunity every Monday night from 7-8 pm. Please request to join the office hours by emailing HBCCgrants@hcf-hawaii.org
  • How long will it take to know whether my application was accepted?
  • Applications are due by 11 am every Tuesday. Applicants who submit by this deadline can expect to hear a response within 8 days via email. Applicants who submit applications after 11:00 am each Tuesday will not be processed until the following Tuesday and can expect a response within 8 days from that point.
  • If accepted, how long will it take to receive funding?
  • If your application is accepted, and upon receipt of the Grant Award Letter HCF will mail a check to the address on your application within the following 2-3 business days.
  • Will I need to report this grant on my taxes?
  • Yes. For-profit providers must report this grant as taxable ordinary income on your tax return in the year in which it was received. This is true for individuals (or sole proprietors) also. Hawaii Community Foundation will issue an IRS Form 1099-MISC. Non-profit providers must also report this as income, though this will not be a taxable event.

Donate

Donate to the Home-Based Child Care (HBCC) Emergency Fund to support efforts to rapidly address the coronavirus and its impact on keiki care providers.