Gov. Moore & MD Department of Labor Announce $1.5-m Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has announced a $1.5-million competitive grant initiative – the Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program – which is designed to help working parents looking for child care by increasing the number of licensed, home-based providers working in underserved neighborhoods and at unconventional hours. The Maryland Department of Labor will award grants of up to $250,000 to organizations with demonstrated expertise in guiding prospective child care providers through the process of establishing or expanding family child care facilities.
Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a pre-proposal conference on Monday, November 30th at 10am. Applications are due Friday, January 29th, 2027 by 11:59pm.
This program is 100% funded by the US Department of Labor.
Additional information from Gov Moore:
“Every child deserves the care they need to grow and every family deserves the opportunity to provide that care,” said Gov. Moore. “By investing in child care programs with proven results, we’re building communities that foster Maryland children’s success and support hardworking families no matter their situation.”
“Child care is essential for working families,” said Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu. “The Maryland Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program will be a game-changer: expanding the number of family child care providers and the number of child care spaces available across our state. Critically, this program will focus on expanding child care during nontraditional hours to support workers in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and warehousing.”
The Maryland Department of Labor will award grants of up to $250,000 to organizations with demonstrated expertise in guiding prospective child care providers through the process of establishing or expanding family child care facilities.
This support will help current and prospective child care providers that run care centers out of their own homes more quickly overcome financial and operational barriers, like navigating the administrative requirements to confirm a facility meets health and safety regulations and that new staff meet training standards. Grants will fund expenses such as staffing support and licensure, business coaching, safety modifications or equipment, child development or instructional materials, and staff recruitment costs.
The program is funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which enables governors to designate funds to support their states’ highest workforce development priorities.
Accessible, reliable, and affordable child care is a critical economic driver for Maryland families and businesses. Every year, thousands of Maryland parents must change jobs, decline new opportunities, or leave the workforce because they cannot find child care that meets their needs, especially parents who work early mornings, evenings, or overnight shifts.
Eligible applicants include non-profits, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, child care networks, local government or county agencies (including local workforce development boards), registered apprenticeship sponsors, and other organizations as approved by the Maryland Department of Labor.
The agency will give scoring preference to applications focused on communities designated under Maryland’s ENOUGH Initiative, administered by the Governor’s Office for Children to combat childhood poverty.
Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a pre-proposal conference on Monday, November 30 at 10 a.m. Applications are due Friday, January 29, 2027 by 11:59 p.m. EST.
For complete grant guidelines, policy documentation, and to register for the pre-proposal conference, visit the Maryland Department of Labor website.
Federal Funding Disclosure: The Maryland Home-Based Child Care Program is 100 percent funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through awards totaling $1,500,000.
