Licenced child care businesses in the province can apply for a grant worth up to $25,000 to make improvements to their space.

Until March 30, people can apply to receive a grant from the new Child Care Sustainability Trust. This trust, worth $11.5 million,  is being established to aid with one-time improvement purchases.

“By providing grants that support a diverse variety of facility needs, this new trust will help ensure flexible and quality child-care services are available to Manitoba families as we continue to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic together," Families Minister Rochelle Squires says.

The grant, worth up to $10,000 for  child-care homes and $25,000 for licensed child-care centres, is to be used to make improvements such as:

  • infrastructure improvements including major repairs to ageing buildings, one-time support for unexpected events, and new or replacement equipment to improve indoor and outdoor play-based learning opportunities;
  • program enhancements to improve quality, accessibility and inclusivity through new and innovative programming approaches, and physical improvements for accessible indoor or outdoor spaces
  • new equipment and maintenance/replacement of ageing equipment
  • professional development and learning opportunities that enhance programming in innovative ways, such as culturally based or specialized training for children with additional needs

The Winnipeg Foundation will be managing the trust. Rick Frost, CEO of the Winnipeg Foundation, says long-term funding from endowment funds works well.

"We are pleased the Manitoba government has chosen to work with the foundation on the administration of this fund,” Frost says.

Grant applications open on Tuesday.

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