In late 2021, the people of Reno County, Kansas, highlighted child care as the primary concern for the allocation of local American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. In response, the Hutchinson City Council and the Reno County Board of Commission made significant financial commitments in 2022—$1.7 million and $4.5 million respectively—to enhance the local child care infrastructure. The United Way of Reno County has been entrusted as the fiscal sponsor for these combined funds.​ ​ Guiding the utilization of these resources is the Reno County Child Care Task Force. This leadership group includes seven key organizations and child care leaders from the community. The task force is dedicated to developing systematic, sustainable, and equitable child care solutions that will support providers, parents, and the broader business community.​ ​ A total of $2.5 million has been allocated for Retention Grants through 2026. These grants, which are modeled after the Child Care Aware of Kansas Sustainability Grants, offer unrestricted funding aimed at maintaining licensed child care facilities within Reno County. This initiative not only focuses on preserving quality child care services but also on gathering valuable data. Such data will explore potential efficiencies, shared services, and innovative business models that could significantly enhance child care availability, affordability, and quality. The comprehensive insights obtained will assist the Reno County Child Care Task Force in monitoring the effectiveness of the ARPA investments and in developing long-term strategies to strengthen the local child care system.

Provider Eligibility Permanent and current license through KDHE​ Home, group, and centers, including non-profit and for-profit.​ Care for children 0-5 all-day, all-year, no school age programs. However, you will be asked about school age programs on the application. ​ Located in Reno County, Kansas​ Must agree to all requirements.​ 6 months license Children Who Are No Longer Eligible For Retention Grants Children whose slots are fully funded by federal programs (except DCF) must now be reported separately in a designated column in your grant submission. These children will no longer be eligible for retention grants. Examples of federally funded slots that are ineligible: Free UPK slots (if the provider receives federal funding that covers all costs to parents). Other federally funded programs that eliminate all parent-paid fees. Why This Matters: This ensures equitability across the system for providers who are ineligible for specific grant funding and ensures that no provider is receiving both full retention grants and separate full federal funding for the same child. By tracking these slots separately, we ensure funds are directed appropriately while maintaining transparency and fairness in funding distribution.

Individual grant awards will be based on a formula listed below. Funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis AND grant checks will be issued 30 days after each submission window closes.​ Requested reimbursement funds are based on the enrollment numbers for the applicable quarter. ​ For Centers:​ Ages 0-12 months: $500 per child​ Ages 12 months to 2.5 years: $300 per child​ Ages 2.5 - 5 years: $200 per child​ ​ For Homes:​ Ages 0-18 months: $500 per child​ Ages 18 months - 5 years: $250 per child *Starting in 2025 a part-time child (a child who attends less than 30 hours per week) will be funded at 50% of the full grant rate. Also, children whose slots are fully funded by federal programs (except DCF) must now be reported separately in a designated column in your grant submission and will no longer be eligible for retention grants. For more information on these updates to the program, click here. Recipients of grants may be asked to complete and submit an impact story describing how the grant funds impacted your program.

The data gathered from the Retention Grants revealed a clear trend: both home providers and daycare centers face an annual loss of approximately $5,200 per infant care spot. In response, the Reno County Child Care Task Force has introduced an additional Infant Incentive as part of the quarterly Retention Grant Program. ​ ​ Using the quarterly Retention Grant submissions and deadlines, an additional infant incentive of $800 per infant will be applied per quarter to providers that qualify.

Applications will be accepted on the following timeline:​ Q1 2025 Applications (Jan 2025 - Mar 2025) - Application accepted between April 1 to April 30 Q2 2025 Applications (Apr 2025 - June 2025) - Application accepted between July 1 to July 31 2025 Applications (Jul 2025 - Sept 2025) - Application accepted between October 1 to October 31 Q4 2025 Applications (Oct 2025 - Dec 2025) - Applications accepted between January 1 to January 31, 2026 Tracking and Documentation Requirements To ensure grant funds are being used as intended, providers must submit a statement with each submission detailing how retention grant funds were used. An annual budget must be submitted during at least one quarter of each year. We use this information to: Inform elected officials, decision-makers, donors, and the community about how these funds have supported providers and why they remain necessary. Ensure funds are used appropriately and not for unrelated expenses (e.g., vacations, personal expenses, etc.). Budget Tracking: An annual budget must be submitted during at least one quarter of each year. Documents and receipts of expenses submitted for reimbursement must be kept for 5 years. As the fiscal agent for the Reno County Child Care Task Force (RCCTF), United Way is required by federal law to ensure all funds are used appropriately and to prevent fraud within the system. Audit measures will include, but are not limited to: Additional documentation with each quarterly submission proving enrollment numbers, including child names and contact information. Random audits that may include contacting parents to confirm their child’s enrollment. United Way is actively working to finalize the auditing process and will communicate these procedures to providers as they are determined. Please Note: When submitting retention grants, providers acknowledge and agree to these stipulations by clicking the agreement button. These requirements have been clearly communicated as part of the retention grant process. We recognize that determining exact audit steps has been a challenge due to the lack of administrative consistency across different programs, but our goal remains to ensure compliance while minimizing administrative burden on providers.