Maryland Offers $1.5M for Home-Based Child Care Expansion

The Maryland Department of Labor has launched the Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program, a $1.5 million competitive grant initiative intended to increase the number of licensed, home-based child care providers in underserved neighborhoods and during unconventional hours. Announced by Governor Wes Moore and the department on November 13, 2026, the program addresses barriers working parents face in finding care by helping organizations guide prospective providers through establishing or expanding family child care facilities. Individual awards may reach $250,000. The opportunity is particularly relevant to workforce development, community service, and child care organizations with demonstrated experience supporting provider start-up or expansion.

The program’s focus on care outside traditional schedules has direct workforce implications. Maryland Secretary of Labor Portia Wu said, “Critically, this program will focus on expanding child care during nontraditional hours to support workers in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and warehousing.” This emphasis could make proposals that identify employers or workers with nonstandard shifts especially responsive to the program’s purpose. The initiative also gives preference to projects serving communities designated under Maryland’s ENOUGH Initiative, making geographic alignment and a clear explanation of local need important considerations for prospective applicants.

Grant funds are intended to help providers overcome financial and operational obstacles more quickly, including administrative requirements for meeting health and safety regulations and ensuring new staff satisfy training standards. Eligible project costs identified in the announcement include staffing support and licensure, business coaching, safety modifications or equipment, child development or instructional materials, and staff recruitment costs. Organizations considering an application should connect each proposed expense to concrete provider-development activities and explain how those activities will increase licensed home-based capacity or help providers operate at the hours workers need.

The program is funded through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which allows governors to designate funding for state workforce development priorities. For contractors, nonprofits, and other organizations that support workforce participation or child care delivery, this creates a time-limited state grant opportunity rather than a conventional procurement for goods or services. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for November 30, 2026, and applications are due January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Interested organizations should use the conference to clarify application expectations and allow time to assemble a credible service plan, budget, partnerships, and evidence of relevant experience.

• Funding pool: The Maryland Department of Labor announced $1.5 million for the Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program.
• Award ceiling: Organizations may seek grants of up to $250,000 per award.
• Eligible focus: Projects should support prospective or current providers establishing or expanding licensed family child care facilities in their own homes.
• Priority communities: The source announcement says projects serving Maryland ENOUGH Initiative communities receive preference.
• Nontraditional-hour care: Proposals addressing schedules that support workers in healthcare, manufacturing, and warehousing align with Secretary Portia Wu’s stated program focus.
• Potential expenses: Funding may support staffing and licensure, business coaching, safety modifications or equipment, child development or instructional materials, and staff recruitment.
• Compliance needs: Provider support may address administrative requirements related to health and safety regulations and staff training standards.
• Funding authority: The initiative is funded by WIOA, which enables governors to direct funds toward state workforce development priorities.
• Key dates: The pre-proposal conference is November 30, 2026; applications are due January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
• Applicant action: Organizations should assess relevant experience, identify target communities and provider needs, and prepare an aligned project scope and budget ahead of the deadline.