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Kitsap County, Washington — The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), in partnership with Child Care Action Council, today announced the release of Kitsap Tools for Success, a comprehensive navigation toolkit designed to help prospective and existing childcare providers start, operate, and expand successful childcare businesses in Kitsap County.A Practical Guide for Childcare ProvidersDeveloped in collaboration with childcare providers, local jurisdictions, community partners, and industry experts, the toolkit addresses common barriers that can make starting or expanding a childcare business unnecessarily difficult. It brings together licensing, permitting, business planning, workforce development, financing, insurance, training, and other essential resources in one practical...

KEDA Releases RFP for Child Care Business Toolkit ConsultantSilverdale, WA – The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified consultant or consulting team to develop a comprehensive Child Care Business Toolkit to support the expansion of licensed child care capacity in Kitsap County.The Toolkit will serve as a practical guide for individuals and organizations seeking to open, expand, or convert child care facilities, with an emphasis on infant and toddler care.Scope of WorkThe selected consultant will develop a provider-facing Toolkit that includes:A step-by-step roadmap from exploration through launchLicensing and pre-licensing guidance, including...

Request for proposals: For development of child care and energy transmission siting resourcesProposals are due by Jan. 6more infoWashington Stated Dept of Commerce is seeking proposals from firms interested in developing technical assistance documents intended to help local governments site child care facilities and energy transmission infrastructure.Commerce will award one contract not to exceed $280,000. More information is available in the request for proposal (RFP) post. RFP timeline Q&A period: Dec. 8 to Dec. 18 Pre-proposal conference: 11 a.m. Dec. 17 Proposals due: 4 p.m. Jan. 6  Funding period: Feb. 2026 to Feb. 2027To submit proposals, please email Paul Johnson, RFP coordinator. Paul.Johnson@commerce.wa.gov VIEW AND DOWNLOAD...

Additional funding available – $2.1 million for new round of CCPG for community-led projects to increase child care availability  The Washington State Department of Commerce is supporting coalition-like partnerships that develop community solutions to address the shortage of affordable, quality child care in Washington.  Commerce seeks to award grants to several organizations and entities to leverage collaborative community partnerships to assess and plan for expanding child care slots.  Funding can help develop local solutions and help prepare a community to competitively access funds for child care and early learning capital projects. Proposals may be up to 20...

The Future of Work is Family-Friendly: Strategies to Support Working Parents Access to affordable, quality child care allows parents to work, prepares our future workforce for success, and helps grow business. Yet Washington businesses lost over $6.5 billion annually in direct and opportunity costs due to employee child care issues. Child care is not just a family issue, it is a community, business, and workforce issue. Employers can strengthen their business by  supporting the child care needs of their employees. Family-friendly policies and employer-supported child care are powerful tools to foster employee loyalty, improve retention, attract...

Coming in March:  Grants will be available for minor renovations and small capital purchases   Commerce's Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program will open a new funding round for eligible child care providers in early March. Grants are for minor renovations to existing buildings used by child care providers licensed or certified by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) on or before January 1, 2020. Grant details: Family homes, child care centers, and K-12 school districts are all eligible to apply. Grant funds may be used for minor renovations and small capital purchases. All...

KEDA Releases RFP for Child Care Business Toolkit ConsultantSilverdale, WA – The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified consultant or consulting team to develop a comprehensive Child Care Business Toolkit to support the expansion of licensed child care capacity in Kitsap County.The Toolkit will serve as a practical guide for individuals and organizations seeking to open, expand, or convert child care facilities, with an emphasis on infant and toddler care.Scope of WorkThe selected consultant will develop a provider-facing Toolkit that includes:A step-by-step roadmap from exploration through launchLicensing and pre-licensing guidance, including...