A new grant program aimed at supporting child care providers in Wyoming has seen an overwhelming response, reflecting the state’s growing need for child care services, WyoFile reports.
Nearly 50 applications were submitted in the program’s first month, prompting organizers to adjust the application timeline to accommodate the high demand.
The Childcare Interagency Working Group launched the Childcare Provider Start-up Grant in January, offering up to $10,000 to providers looking to establish or expand daycare services. While organizers anticipated strong interest, the sheer volume of applications exceeded expectations.
“In Wyoming, we have so many spaces where there just aren’t enough care providers for the number of families who need this care,” said Micah Richardson of the Wyoming Community Foundation, a partner in the initiative. “Still, the response was quite a bit larger than even we thought it would be.”
Originally, the grant was structured as a bimonthly award process, but administrators have since adjusted the schedule to allow more time to review applications and assist providers. The next round of applications is set to open on April 1.
The grant program was developed in response to Wyoming’s significant child care gaps. The state has lost nearly 200 child care providers over the past decade, according to state data. A 2022 assessment revealed a 30% child care gap, meaning that many families struggle to find available care options.
Wyoming’s rural nature exacerbates the issue. Many communities lack child care services altogether, leading some working parents to reduce their hours or leave the workforce entirely.
The shortage of child care has broader economic implications, according to research by the Harvard Growth Lab, which identified child care accessibility as a key factor in Wyoming’s economic stagnation compared to neighboring states. Their findings suggest that over 10,000 people in Wyoming may be out of the workforce due to a lack of child care options.
The working group behind the grant program includes the Wyoming Business Council, the Wyoming Department of Family Services, the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, and other organizations. In addition to funding, recipients are connected with business development resources, including support from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center and the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative.
Despite clear demand for child care solutions, progress at the legislative level has been slow. While Wyoming lawmakers have committed to studying the issue, there has been limited movement on child care policy.
A recent debate over House Bill 199, the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Act, underscored this divide. The bill, which provides school vouchers for K-12 students, initially did not include funding for pre-K education. After negotiations, lawmakers agreed to allow income-qualified families to receive up to $7,000 for pre-K education, but the discussion highlighted broader hesitancy to fund early childhood education.
Efforts to explore long-term solutions, such as a state endowment for early childhood education, have also faced resistance. While some committees have proposed studying child care sustainability, the extent of future legislative action remains uncertain.
With high demand for grants and continued strain on child care availability, stakeholders believe additional support will be necessary.
“This funding is a positive step in helping providers open or expand so that they can offer necessary support to working families,” said Roxanne O’Connor from the Wyoming Department of Family Services. “But we know there’s still more work to do.”
The Legislature’s Management Council is set to finalize its interim study topics on April 8.
