PDG Newsletter May 3, 2023 New Wisconsin Shares Resources Available – Eligibility and Application Process Overview As previously announced, PDG funding was used to bolster awareness of Wisconsin Shares across the state through a paid media campaign, some website updates, and a media kit. As part of this work, we now have some new resources available to help explain the eligibility, application, and payment process for Wisconsin Shares. These resources are catered towards parents, but we hope that both child care providers and local agencies will use these tools to help parents better understand Wisconsin Shares. You can access these tools on the Wisconsin Shares parents webpage or by clicking the links below: Is my family eligible for Wisconsin Shares? (Spanish) How do I apply for Wisconsin Shares? (Spanish) How do I get my Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy? (Spanish) If you work for an organization that promotes Wisconsin Shares to families, please consider taking advantage of the many prepared materials available in the media kit. For example, it includes: Social media posts you can download and use Newsletter/blog content Posters you can print and hang in your office in English and/or Spanish Website widgets you can post on your webpage and link directly to DCF’s Wisconsin Shares information Embeddable videos you can link to in a message or embed on your website Additionally, we are excited to share that the paid media campaign will be extended through the summer months. We hope this will bring awareness to more Wisconsinites of this important program! The Insider’s Guide to School: A Resource from our Partners at ParentPowered ParentPowered, the administrator of our Ready4K text messaging program, has created this resource to support families as they transition to kindergarten. You can access the resource through the Ready4K website. Reminder: Submit Your Application for Partner Up! The Partner Up! grant program provides funding to support partnerships between businesses who purchase slots at existing regulated child care providers. The various Partner Up! cohorts have been funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act (CRRSA), the Preschool Development Grant (PDG), and Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training (QUEST). Who Should Apply: Businesses with two or more employees Regulated child care providers who want to help sponsor the cost of their employees’ child care Note: Governmental entities are not eligible for Partner Up! grants. There are resources on the Partner Up! webpage that will help you apply. At the bottom of the page, you can expand the accordions to view these. As a reminder, if you only want to partner with a business to provide care for children through Partner Up!, you do not need to submit a Partner Up! application. Instead, you should contact your local CCR&R to let them know you are interested in accepting families for Partner Up! If you are interested in reducing the cost of care for your own employees, then you needed to submit a Partner Up! application for your child care business. The competitive application period for Cohort 3 of the Partner Up! grant program is now open! Submit your application by May 12, 2023 at 5 p.m. CST. Learn more about Partner Up! and submit your application on the DCF website.
