Child care providers across the nations are closing as measures are set in place to reduce the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). If your child care business has closed or seen a drop in children attending and you’re experience financial distress, these resources can help.

Please check back often as resources will continue to be added to this page. Page last updated March 22, 4:22 p.m. EDT.

Looking for additional assistance outside these resources? Call Child Care Aware^® of America’s National Hotline at 1(800) 424-2246 or use our Live Chat feature here. 

1. Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) Agencies

CCR&Rs are collecting information and data from their state partners daily about Coronavirus (COVID-19). Some of the areas they may be able to help child care providers with include: 

• The latest status for COVID-19 in your state 
• The latest guidance and health recommendations from your state 
• Openings and closures for child care centers and homes (and any executive orders from governors around closures) 
• Options for child care for essential workers 
• Availability of grants or loans for child care providers 
• Subsidy payment administration policies during COVID-19 crisis
• Licensing standards and waivers related to the COVID-19 crisis 

Find your local or state CCR&R here.

2. State and Federal Governments

• The U.S. Department of Labor has resources available to connect you to the unemployment program in your state: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance. If your state offers paid sick or family leave, information will be available from your state department of labor.  
• The recently-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act includes new provisions for some workers to receive paid sick days and paid family leave for some coronavirus-related reasons, and for businesses to receive support in the form tax credits for providing this leave. The U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor have released initial guidance on these new benefits.

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides resources that may help some providers seeking support, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. You can learn more from the SBA.   
•  The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued memorandum M-20-17, Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations. This memorandum is an update to the previous memo of March 9 and expands to recipients affected by the loss of operational capacity and increased costs due to the pandemic: 
  https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/M-20-17.pdf 

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service has now provided and posted nationwide waivers for a number of programs, including CACFP.
• FEMA has launched its Public Assistance Program that allows certain private non profits to apply for assistance including: technical assistance, disinfection of public facilities, and distribution of food, water, medicine, and PPE 
• Use this small business crisis planner from Washington State Department of Commerce to get help in your emergency response planning.
• As of March 15, 2020, MilitaryOneSource recommends that service members and their families access their service emergency relief websites to learn more about assistance and applying for aid. These service emergency relief organizations can financially assist with interest-free loans, grants, or a combination of loans and grants. 

• • Army Emergency Relief 
  • Navy Marine-Corps Relief Society 
  • Air Force Aid Society 
  • For more information for service members and military families, visit: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/coronavirus. 

3. Insurance Providers

Insurance policies and coverages vary. Check with your insurer to see if your policy includes loss of income coverage for business operations that are interrupted by a disaster, such as a pandemic.

4. National Nonprofits and Other Agencies: 

• United Way National Emergency Relief Fund: All 211 providers across the United States and Canada are operational and continue to connect people with services and resources in their local communities, including people who are in need of financial or other assistance as a result of lost wages from event cancellations, business closures, and quarantines. Learn more here: https://www.unitedway.org/recovery/covid19 
• The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Supporting the Child Care Market Through the COVID-19 Pandemic is a good overview article about the support needed for small businesses, particularly child care providers. 

5. National Food and Nutrition and Supply Resources  

• No Kid Hungry is offering real-time funding and assistance for schools, early child care centers and community organizations that are making sure kids have access to the meals they need as schools close due to coronavirus. No Kid Hungry is providing emergency grants to support these local efforts, such as home-delivered meals, grab and go meals programs, school and community pantries, backpack programs and other steps to help reach children and families who lose access to meals. If your organization needs funding to support these efforts, please submit your interest in receiving emergency grant funds.
• As of March 18, 2020, Feeding America is assisting food banks across America to support communities impacted by COVID-19. These efforts include food- and fund-raising efforts and distributing emergency food boxes to member food banks. Feeding America’s member food banks are using the drive-thru and outdoor distribution methods to support social distancing. To learn more or to find your local food bank, visit https://www.feedingamerica.org/. 
• CORE is an organization supporting families of food and beverage service workers. There is a grant available for service industry workers diagnosed with COVID-19 and resources for those experiencing financial hard-ship due to COVID-19.
• First Responders Children’s Foundation: First responders are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic in every community across the country, and First Responders Children’s Foundation provides support to those first responder families who are enduring financial hardship due to the coronavirus outbreak.  If you are a first responder family in need, please click the button below to apply for a grant.  If you can donate to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, please click the donation link below. 

6. Technology

• If you are struggling with any type of technology issue, from back-office systems to needing to working remotely, Child Care Aware^® of America has a network of technologists that we are able to connect you with who can recommend apps and help you configure systems. Please contact us and let us know your needs by emailing us at learnmore@usa.childcareaware.org with the subject line “Tech Support.” 
• Zoom online meeting platform has compiled a ton of resources

• techsoup is a tech support site for nonprofit’s urgent issues for a small fee. 
• Comcast is pro-rating internet for qualifying low-income households with two months of free internet and $9.94 after.
• Facebook has committed to offering up to 30,000 small businesses $100 million in cash grants and Facebook advertising credits. The grants will be provided to businesses in more than 30 countries. Information is limited, but sign up to get more details from the company when they’re available. 

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