Montana Offers Childcare Grants to Ease Burden for Parents

MISSOULA, Montana — Working families in Montana face challenges in finding adequate childcare, but Zero to Five Montana is stepping up with new grants for employers. These funds aim to help ease the burden for parents struggling to find care for their children.

The program is designed to support a variety of businesses, from large healthcare facilities to small local shops. Shelby Whelan, Community Navigator for Zero to Five Montana, emphasized the versatility of the grants. “The beauty of this program is that there are so many different ways that employers can use these funds, depending on their need, their business, and their community,” she said.

Employers can use the funds in various ways, such as establishing health savings accounts or offering onsite childcare. However, childcare organizations cannot apply directly for the grants; instead, they should collaborate with local businesses that intend to apply. Grant amounts range from $10,000 to $100,000.

Last year, 20 employers received funding from the program and reported positive outcomes. Bev Matsko, Deputy Director for Early Childhood Services & Program Operations at Opportunities Incorporated, shared their struggles with staffing. “We had staff members who couldn’t work during the summer due to lack of childcare,” she said. “We had new hires who were declining positions because they had no reliable childcare available.”

In response, Opportunities Incorporated launched an onsite childcare service that saw success this summer. A parent remarked, “Knowing my kids are well cared for, having fun, and actually look forward to going to camp each day has made my life so much easier and less stressful.”

Another parent said, “I already knew how high-quality our childcare program was before enrolling my child, but now I’ve experienced it firsthand. Knowing my child is in a safe, nurturing environment gives me peace of mind and allows me to stay focused and fully engaged at work.”

The deadline for businesses to apply for this grant funding is Sunday, August 24. Whelan urged employers to seize this opportunity, stating, “If you’re ever in that point in your board meetings or your staff meetings and you’re like, gosh, is this something that we should really get into? I would encourage you to put in your proposal this time around because you might not get another opportunity.”

Zero to Five Montana is also offering one-on-one assistance for employer applicants and will host several webinars through the end of July and August.