Bill would provide day cares grant to help with growth

Clayton Murphy

HELENA (UM Legislative News Service) — Early childhood education facilities and day cares could be eligible for a slice of a $10 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services if a bill in the Montana House can gain traction.

House Bill 945 would allow two facilities per county to apply for up to $500,000 each or $700,000 between the two in grant money for repairs, renovation and expansion. The bill’s first hearing in the House Business and Labor Committee Thursday drew support from educators, owners, advocates and the Montana Chamber of Commerce. There were no opponents at the hearing.

Rachel Rader, owner and director of Kids Corral Childcare in Columbia Falls, said the grant would help her cover renovations and expansions to increase coverage in her community.

“I have filled a major void in the Flathead Valley by allowing me to provide education and childcare at an affordable price,” Rader said. “As a business owner and commercial property owner, there's constant maintenance and renovations that are necessary to keep my facility up to code and safe for children.”

Grace Decker with Montana Advocates for Children supported the bill, but urged the committee to make several amendments that she said would better serve rural communities and small facilities.

“Most childcare programs are sole proprietorships and would not be able to apply,” Decker said. “We recommend expanding the eligible business types so that more childcare programs, particularly small programs, which is the only kind of programs in most rural areas, would be able to apply.”

The bill also details that the proprietor raise funding of more than $50,000 for a one-to-one match from the state. Decker said that’s a lot of money for a small facility to raise. Decker also said the two-per-county limit on facilities that can get the funding seems problematic for rural communities.