Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Colleges and universities have an immediate opportunity to receive more generous funding for on-campus childcare, but they have to act quickly to apply. California Competes has been working to advance policies and institutional practices that address the needs of this student population through our Policy Agenda for California Student Parents. One of our recommendations is to expand state and federal support for on-campus childcare. In March 2022, Congress made progress on this objective by expanding funding for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022.
The CCAMPIS program provides grants to colleges and universities to support or establish campus-based childcare programs to meet the needs of low-income student parents enrolled on their campuses. Historically, this program has not been adequately funded and the caps on maximum awards have limited institutions’ ability to support these crucial programs. Our research has shown that while on-campus childcare provides a pivotal support for many student parents, there is a shortage of centers on campuses and many on-campus centers are oversubscribed with long waiting lists.
The addition of funding for CCAMPIS provides institutions with an opportunity to create new childcare facilities or expand existing facilities. The revised CCAMPIS program also raises the maximum amount for awards and allows for a new grant minimum of $90,000. The Department has also outlined new priorities for the project that are aligned with our research that childcare should be coupled with other supportive services for student parents. The outlined priorities are 1) supporting students that are single parents, 2) increasing campus-based childcare for infants and toddlers, and 3) providing wrap-around services for low-income parents in postsecondary education.
While this is excellent news, there is a limited window to apply for these grants in the current funding cycle. To be eligible for grants, institutions must submit an application by July 11, 2022 through Grants.gov. We strongly encourage California institutions of higher education to apply.
The Department is holding a technical assistance workshop for CCAMPIS applicants in which officials will answer questions about program requirements and the submission process. More information about CCAMPIS can be found on the Department of Education’s program website. If you are interested in participating in the technical assistance workshop, you need to provide your name, email, and telephone number to by May 31, 2022.
Do not hesitate to reach out to the California Competes team if we can provide more information or assistance.
In partnership,
Su Jin Gatlin Jez, PhD
Executive Director
California Competes
