Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Office of Education to enter into a grant agreement for $50,000.00 with Franklin County Children’s Services (FCCS) to create and implement a 12-month childcare and early education pilot program. The goal of this program is to assist individuals and families who have legally adopted children who were previously in FCCS Kinship Care Program.
Before legal adoption, Kinship Caregivers received a stipend to assist with childcare costs. However, this assistance ceases once the children are legally adopted, creating a financial burden for adopting families.
Therefore, the City of Columbus would like provide a grant of $50,000.00 to FCCS to pilot a program to help at least five families in need of childcare and early education tuition assistance. To be eligible, families must reside in Franklin County with an income at, or below, 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The program will be administered by FCCS to at least five families who have been identified by FCCS as eligible based on the before-mentioned criteria. 100 percent of the grant will awarded to families in tuition assistant grants of up to $10,000 per family. None of the grant will be used by FCCS to administer the program. The 12-month program will commence on the effective date of the grant agreement. An upfront payment is needed, and authorized by this ordinance, so that tuition may to paid to the early education provider at enrollment
Only licensed childcare centers, family childcare centers or Preschool programs, who have attained at least a bronze rating in the State’s Step up to Quality quality rating and improvement system may participate.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding for this grant agreement is available within the 2025 Mayor’s Office of Education General Fund budget ($50,000.00).
Title
To authorize the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Education to enter into a grant agreement for $50,000.00 with Franklin County Children’s Servic...
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