“Child care has been critical to our recovery efforts in Maryland, and making sure providers have the resources they need to operate remains a top priority,” said Governor Hogan. “Our administration is grateful to our state’s child care providers for their unwavering commitment over the last two years, and we look forward to working closely with them to allocate this additional relief.”

Earlier this year, Governor Hogan announced the allocation of an additional $50 million in grant funding in his FY23 budget to support child care providers. In accordance with House Bill 89, enacted by the governor on April 21, 2022, these grants will be disbursed in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to providers that have faced a financial hardship or suffered an operational burden during the pandemic. Grant funds may be used to support the developmental and learning needs of children, promote equitable access to high-quality child care, and support a professional workforce that is fairly and appropriately compensated for their essential skilled work. MSDE will assist providers with the application process through a system of customer service supports in advance of the application deadline, which is Monday, August 29.