OUR 2025 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Advance solutions to Greater Minnesota's child care crisis.
- Advocate for $20 million in funding for the Greater Minnesota Child Care Facilities Grant program for FY26-27.
- Advocate to increase funding for the DEED Child Care Economic Development Grants by $10 million for FY26-27 and ongoing.
- Support common sense solutions to licensing modernization efforts and track the transition of programs to the new Department of Children, Youth, and Families.
- Support efforts to make child care more affordable.
RECENT CHILD CARE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
$13 million for Economic Development Child Care Grants.
These grants, awarded by the Department of Employment and Economic Development, support a wide variety of projects that work to reduce the child care shortage in our communities. At least half of these funds support projects in Greater Minnesota.
$7 million for the six Initiative Foundations to support their child care efforts.
The six Foundations serve all 80 counties in Greater Minnesota, and support their individual regions in building economic prosperity by providing grants, business loans, and programming.
An increase to the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) reimbursement rate from 35% to 75%.
Providers will now be reimbursed more than double the previous rate for CCAP-eligible families. This increase has a significant impact on the ability of child care providers to build sustainable and financially stable businesses.
The creation of the state Office of Child Care Community Partnerships.
An initiative of Governor Walz, this new office serves as a conduit between community leaders - local governments, businesses, and nonprofits - who are looking to support the expansion of their local childcare capacity.