In 2020, the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood began administering a series of business grants to help child care providers across Illinois sustain their businesses as a result of pandemic-related impacts.
These grants began with Child Care Restoration Grants and continued through Strengthen and Grow Child Care Grant programs. From early 2020 through July 2022, IDHS has invested over $980 million in federal relief funds in ensuring the recovery and sustainability of Illinois' child care field.
These funds reached over 12,000 child care providers across the state, including child care centers and family child care homes, as well as bonuses for early childhood professionals.
Building on the success of these grant programs at both stabilizing child care in Illinois against continued enrollment challenges, as well as to meet the needs of providers in the face of a nationwide workforce crisis, Smart Start Illinois was launched in 2023.
As a part of Smart Start Illinois, Smart Start Transition grants were developed to provide a predictable, stable funding stream for licensed providers to help raise wages and staff benefits, as well as provide additional classroom resources.
More information regarding these programs is available in dashboards and recipient lists for each of the different grant programs made available to date.
Child Care Restoration Grants
More information about Child Care Restoration Grant program itself can be found on the Gateways to Opportunity page which can be found by clicking the following link -
Child Care Restoration Grants - Gateways to Opportunity (ilgateways.com)
Data from the Child Care Restoration Grants are available by clicking on the following links -
Strengthen and Grow Child Care Grants
More information about the Strengthen and Grow Child Care Grant program itself can be found on the Gateways to Opportunity page which can be found by clicking the following link -
Strengthen and Grow Child Care Grants - Gateways to Opportunity (ilgateways.com)
Data from the Child Care Restoration Grants are available by clicking on the following links -
Smart Start Transition Grants
More information about Smart Start Transition Grants can be found on the Gateways to Opportunity page which can be found by clicking the following link -
Smart Start Transition Grants - Gateways to Opportunity (ilgateways.com)
Data from the Child Care Restoration Grants are available by clicking on the following links -
