The New Hampshire Department of Health of Human Services (DHHS) is pleased to announce the launch of Child Care Accelerate, an 8-week intensive business support program created to assist New Hampshire-based child care programs as they strengthen their business operations to ensure long-term success. Developed in partnership with business consultant Seed Collective, Child Care Accelerate will help licensed and licensed-exempt child care providers across New Hampshire enhance their operational efficiency and financial capacity to increase access to quality child care.

Programs participating in the Child Care Accelerate program will be eligible to apply for the Opportunities to Succeed (OTS) grant, which will offset costs for business-specific projects such as facility improvements and other operational enhancements. The OTS grant is made possible through $5 million in funding from American Rescue Plan Act Discretionary (ARPA-D) funds.

“Across the country, access to affordable child care is one of the top issues discussed by families around the kitchen table,” said Governor Chris Sununu. “In addition to the millions in unprecedented funding allocated to support New Hampshire’s child care industry, these resources will help providers strengthen their business models to plan for long-term growth and future success. A win for both child care providers and parents!”

“In addition to providing high-quality care for some of our youngest and most vulnerable Granite Staters, New Hampshire child care providers have the added responsibility of growing and sustaining a business,” said Karen Hebert, Director of the DHHS Division of Economic Stability. “This unique opportunity gives child care providers the ability to assess their businesses health, get support from an expert team of mentors, and apply for grant funding to jump-start business-critical projects. Our hope is that this will pave the way for their long-term success, so they can continue to meet the needs of our families and communities.”

Child Care Accelerate will work with child care providers to conduct a self-directed, comprehensive business, finance, and facility assessment. Providers are then matched with a team of experienced business coaches to build on opportunities, mitigate business challenges, and develop a strategic plan. Over the course of the program, providers will also receive over 10 hours of office support across a variety of business functions.

Child Care Accelerate is part of the State’s ongoing efforts to expend $29.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act Discretionary (ARPA-D) funds to address areas of critical need in New Hampshire’s child care sector. The Department is utilizing the remaining ARPA-D funding to support ongoing and emerging needs of the child care system, including capacity building, strengthening the child care workforce, expanding Family Child Care, child care business and employer partnerships, data and information systems, and other administrative projects.

Since March, 2020, the Department has invested more than $150 million in federal relief dollars into the child care system, with the majority of funds sent directly to New Hampshire child care providers.

For more information, visit https://www.childcareaccelerate.com/.