Question 1

When will SHINE Pre-Applications open?

Accepted Answer

The Pre-Application opened on September 3, 2024, and closed on October 31, 2024. All providers who pre-applied have been notified of their status as of November 11, 2024.

Question 2

How do I Pre-Apply?

Accepted Answer

Pre-Applications are now closed as of October 31, 2024. We are no longer accepting new Pre-Applications, or edits to previously submitted Pre-Applications.

Question 3

How are pre-applicants selected?

Accepted Answer

Specific to our programming priority funding criteria, pre-applications are scored based on the priority criteria as determined by the information provided within your pre-application.

The priority scores were determined by various factors* (project scope, children served, subsidy and/or quality desert locations, percentage of CCS enrollment, etc.) and then ranked in comparison to all pre-applications submitted.

Due to limited funding, the pre-applications with the highest-ranking priority scores were selected to move to the next round and those not meeting the highest priority ranking were moved to our waitlist where they will remain on file should additional funding become available.

Question 4

Does the selection of my pre-application mean that I will be awarded?

Accepted Answer

No. The pre-application is the first step on the SHINE journey. Pre-applicants selected will move forward to the priority cohort and be partnered with a SHINE specialist to further assess operational sustainability, facility needs, refine project scope and prepare for SHINE Grant Committee reviews. The SHINE journey is a marathon, not a race.

Question 5

What is the priority cohort?

Accepted Answer

The priority cohort is comprised of the highest ranking Pre-Applicants based on the priority funding criteria. These providers will be partnered with an assigned SHINE specialist, where they will support the development of the project in preparation to complete a full grant application.

Question 6

What type of grant awards are available?

Accepted Answer

• Renovation and Repair Grants for Child Care Homes (up to $40,000)

• Renovation and Repair Grants for small (licensed for up to 50 children) Child Care Centers (up to $200,000)

• Renovation and Repair Grants for large (licensed for more than 50 children) Child Care Centers (up to 400,000)

Question 7

Is there a limit to the number of providers who will be selected?

Accepted Answer

Grants are not on a first come, first served and will be awarded until funding has been exhausted. Our goal is to award the last recipient by March 2025.

Question 8

When will grants be awarded?

Accepted Answer

Our goal is to begin awarding grants January 2025 with the final recipient awarded by March 2025. Grant fund disbursements will be contingent on award amount, project scope of work and project completion timeline.

Question 9

How will grant funds be provided?

Accepted Answer

Funding will be disbursed electronically via ACH. For projects designated as "major construction" by the SHINE team, multiple payments will be required and disbursed based on the project's progress towards completion. For more information about fund disbursement, please see the 'Construction Monitoring' portion of section 1.4.2 of the Program Guidelines.

Question 10

When must projects be completed?

Accepted Answer

All projects must be completed by September 2026.

Question 11

What is the difference between Small and Large Projects for SHINE CCFF funding?

Accepted Answer

Projects with funding requests under $75,000 are considered Small Projects, while projects $75,000 or more are considered Large Projects.

Question 12

My Pre-Application was put on the waitlist, what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

Specific to our programming priority funding criteria, the decision to waitlist your pre-application is based on the priority score it received as determined by the information provided within your pre-application. The priority scores were determined by various factors* (project scope, children served, subsidy and/or quality desert locations, percentage of CCS enrollment, etc.) and then ranked in comparison to all pre-applications submitted.

Due to limited funding, the pre-applications with the highest-ranking priority scores were selected to move to the next round and those not meeting the highest priority ranking were moved to our waitlist where they will remain on file should additionally funding become available.

Question 13

My Pre-Application was deemed ineligible, what does this mean?

Accepted Answer

For more information based on your specific Pre-Application, please reach out to the SHINE team at SHINE@voatx.org. (SHINE@voatx.org.)

Question 14

My Pre-Application was selected for the priority cohort, what are my next steps?

Accepted Answer

Congratulations on reaching the next stage of the SHINE journey! Your assigned SHINE specialist will reach out to you to begin collaborating with you to offer the support necessary to move you through the rigorous next steps of the grant journey.

Please make sure to monitor your email for communications from the SHINE team. If you have not received an email from your assigned SHINE team member, please reach out to SHINE@voatx.org. (SHINE@voatx.org.)

Question 15

What are the funding priorities for the pre-application and how many points are possible per pre-application?

Accepted Answer

• Project Readiness (Points Possible – 20): Project already under contract or underway, Project is leveraging external funding outside of SHINE, Applicant has a written business plan that reflects their proposed project, Applicant has a budget for the entirety of the proposed project, 
 • Social Impact (Points Possible – 40): Program has been operating for 18 months or greater, Applicant has an operating budget that is a one-year, month-by-month cash flow budget, At least 20% of current program enrollment are children receiving Childcare Services (CCS), Proposed project is currently or will specialize in serving Special, Populations (i.e. dual language programs, children with exceptional needs, homeless/foster/ migrant, etc.), Proposed project is in an area that has a Social Vulnerability Index score of .75 or above, Proposed project program serves or will serve infants and toddlers (age 3 and under), Proposed project location is in a subsidy-serving desert, Proposed project will address health, safety, accessibility, or places emphasis on environmental sustainability and disaster recovery needs, Program is currently TRS Star Level 3 or 4, Proposed project location is in a quality desert, Proposed project is co-located within or on the grounds of affordable housing 
 • Each criterion was weighed and scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with a maximum 60 points possible per pre-application. The point values reflected the urgency and potential impact of each priority on the child care industry.

Question 16

What criteria determine whether a provider was placed on the waitlist or included in the priority cohort?

Accepted Answer

• Eligible pre-applications scoring 45 points or higher were selected for the priority cohort. Funding tiers using priority scores up to the maximum grant award threshold ($200,000 for small centers, $400,000 for large centers, and $40,000 for home provers) to allow more providers to receive funding closer to their requested amounts while still funding a substantial number of providers. 
 • Eligible pre-applicants that scored 44 or below were placed on the waitlist in case additional funding becomes available. If additional funding becomes available, a criteria for allocation will be established based on the remaining priority scores and funding available.

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