March 8 Child Care Provider Updates During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Division of Early Care and Education (DECE) will send updates to everyone who has subscribed to the DCF Child Care listserv. Promoting Early Childhood 2022-Conference – March 16 and 17, 2022 The Promoting Early Childhood Conference (PEC) 2022 will be on March 16 and 17, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. This year’s theme is the H.E.A.R.T (Humility~ Empathy~ Acceptance~ Relationships~ Trust) of Early Childhood (EC): The Importance of Nurturing Connections. Registration for the conference closes on March 11, 2022. PEC is an early childhood collaborative event sponsored by our main PDG partner, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners (WECCP). Questions can be directed to sherry.kimball@dpi.wi.gov. Visit the PEC webpage for more information. Please help spread the word about the conference and registration. Reminder: Child Care Counts: New Spending Tool Resource! A new Spending Tool Training Video is now available. View this step-by-step Spending Tool training video to learn tips and tricks for organizing and tracking how you spend your Child Care Counts funds. You may download the Spending Tool Excel spreadsheet (see Tools Section on the Child Care Counts webpage) to help you keep track of how you spent Child Care Counts funds. Reminder: Child Care Counts February Application/Update Period Closed Applications for the February Child Care Counts: Stabilization Payment Program are being reviewed. Providers will be notified of their eligibility for funds by March 11, 2022, via a payment letter uploaded to the Child Care Provider Portal. The next application/update period is March 14-18, 2022. Child Care Counts Información en español. Reminder: Project Growth Applications are Open and Webinars are Available Project Growth is helping Wisconsin businesses, communities, and child care partners add services, find solutions, and innovate through two new grant programs. Partner Up! Grant Program The Partner Up! grant program will provide funding to support partnerships between businesses who purchase slots at existing regulated child care providers, with matched funding from DCF. Learn more and apply for Partner Up! Dream Up! Child Care Supply-Building Grant Program The Dream Up! grants will offer support to 30 communities around the state over the next two years. Through a collaborative community approach, teams will work to evaluate, plan, sustain existing child care, and expand it in areas where there is need. Learn more and apply for Dream Up! Applications will close April 4, 2022 at 5 p.m. CST, with priority consideration given to Partner Up! applications who submit by March 14, 2022. Upcoming and On-Demand Webinars Project Growth Kick-Off Webinar | On-Demand Partner Up! Webinar | Tuesday, March 8 at 12 p.m. (registration full) Dream Up! Webinar | Wednesday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m. Partner Up! Webinar | Thursday, March 10 at 6 p.m. Learn more, register for upcoming sessions, and watch the on-demand webinars. Additional Resources Help spread the word about Project Growth using our Media Bundle Download the Wisconsin Employer Perceptions of Early Care and Education: 2021 Research Snapshot Access the Business-Child Care Partnership Toolkit Watch the Project Growth Kick-Off webinar recorded on February 28, 2022 Contact wipdg@wisconsin.gov with questions.
