Maryland Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program - Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning

About the Program

The Maryland Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program is a $1.5 million grant initiative established by the Maryland Department of Labor to expand high-quality, licensed home-based family child care homes across Maryland. This program seeks to bridge the gap between child care availability and the needs of working families. It works to expand child care options with hours of operation that align with community and industry needs—especially for workers with non-traditional hours in fields like healthcare, manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.

Grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to organizations with demonstrated expertise in guiding prospective child care providers through the process of establishing family child care homes. This support will help prospective providers overcome financial and operational barriers. It will fund needs such as support with staffing and licensure, business coaching, safety modifications or equipment, child development or instructional materials, and staff recruitment costs.

Eligible applicants include:

• Non-Profits
• Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
• Faith-Based Organizations
• Institutions of Higher Education
• Child Care Networks
• Local Government or County Agencies, including Local Workforce Development Boards
• Registered Apprenticeship Sponsors
• Other organizations as approved by MD Labor

Application Process

Grants are awarded through a competitive selection process. Interested applicants must submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by Wednesday, January 27, 2027, to receive the official application package. Please review the policy for full program specifics and eligibility criteria.

2026 Application Timeline:

• Application Launch: Friday, November 13, 2026

• Virtual Pre-proposal Conference: Monday, November 30, 2026 at 10 a.m. EST

  • To register, see our meeting registration form to register for the Pre-proposal Conference.

• Deadline to submit questions about the application: Friday, January 8, 2027 by 12:00 p.m. EST

  • Email questions to [email protected].

• Notice of Intent to Apply Due: Wednesday, January 27, 2027

  • To submit your intent to apply and receive all application materials, see our Google Form to submit your Notice of Intent to Apply.

• Proposals Due: Friday, January 29, 2027 by 11:59 p.m. EST

• Notification of Awards: Week of March 15, 2027

Funding Availability

• Expected Award Amounts: Up to $250,000 per awardee

• Period of Performance: April 1, 2027 – June 30, 2029

Federal Funding Disclosure: The Maryland Home-Based Child Care Program is 100 percent funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through awards totaling $1,500,000.

Helpful Resources

• View the Program Policy
• Preview the Application Questions
• Notice of Intent to Apply

Program Contact

Heather Evans
[email protected]
Program Manager, Office of Strategic Initiatives
Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning
Maryland Department of Labor