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Program Overview

• Site location is within Harris County

• Open and operating for a minimum of 12 months from the date of pre-application

• Hold an active Texas Child Care License and is in good standing* *Programs with 3 or more high-risk deficiencies related to supervision violations are ineligible

• Must accept Child Care Services (CCS) scholarships and have active enrollment from eligible families

• Eligible program types include: o Registered Child Care Homes o Licensed Child Care Homes o Licensed Child Care Centers

• Can provide proof of site control* *Leased sites will be subject to occupancy requirements (see Section 1.1.2 in Program Guidelines) *Providers who own their site must show deed of ownership

Program Eligibility

Eligible Use of Funds

Grants could cover the following types of expenses

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  • Physical facility and site renovation and repair costs

  • Non-fixed and fixed equipment necessary for health and safety (e.g., changing tables, portable sinks, etc.) *Subject to exclusions and limitations

  • Program materials, furniture

  • Playground equipment, shade canopies, installation of resilient surfaces, storage sheds, gardening areas, landscaping

  • Kitchen, laundry, bathroom renovations and repairs

  • Commercial equipment upgrades (e.g., washer/dryer, refrigerators, stoves, etc.)

  • Security equipment installations or upgrades (e.g., cameras, buzzers, gates, fences, etc.)

  • Parking improvements

  • Government agency citation compliance

  • Construction of Fire code-compliant exits

  • Code-compliant conversion of existing unused space into program-specific space

  • Improvements that increase the ADA accessibility of the program to children, parents, guardians, or staff with special physical or mental health needs

  • Any additional uses identified and approved by the SHINE team

Grants cannot be used to cover the following types of expenses

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Non Eligible Use of Funds

  • Day-to-day operating costs such as salaries, utilities and food purchases

  • Working capital to cover shortfalls or delays in payments from families government agencies or other funding sources

  • Supplies (e.g., art materials) and other consumable materials such as paint, cleaning supplies, paper, etc.

  • Professional development

  • Vehicle or transportation expenses

  • Repayment of loans or reimbursement of previously incurred expenses that do not meet the reimbursement criteria outlined in the SHINE program guidelines

  • Certain costs related to retrofitting (e.g., underpinning and excavation)

  • Any expense that does not support increasing, preserving or enhancing the number of childcare spaces

  • Indirect or administrative costs

  • Repairs or renovations to parts of the home not used for child care

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For detailed information about SHINE, check out the Program Guidelines!

Recycled Flower Pots

The SHINE team has reviewed, assessed, and scored each pre-application based on the priority selection criteria below. The pre-applications with the highest-ranking priority scores were selected to move to the priority cohort, and those not meeting the highest priority ranking were moved to our waitlist where they will remain on file should additionally funding become available.

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  • Projects with urgent timelines, critical deadlines, under contract and/or underway

  • Applicant has been operating a child care center or home for at least 18 months.

  • A minimum of 20% of program enrollment are children receiving Child Care Services (CCS) or scholarships from the Harris County Early REACH program.

  • Applicant has proof of site control documentation (Property Deed, Signed Lease Agreement, or Signed Letter of Intent). Applicant has a written business plan that reflects their proposed project.

  • Applicant has a project budget that shows sources of funding and uses of funding for the entire proposed project.

  • Applicant has a current operating budget. Applicant specializes or will specialize in serving special populations (i.e. dual language programs, children with exceptional needs, homeless/foster/ migrant, etc.).

  • Applicant serves infants and toddlers (age 3 and under) Applicant facility is in a subsidy-serving desert.

  • Applicant facility is located in an area that has a Social Vulnerability Index score of .75 or above.

  • Applicant project proposal places emphasis on health, safety, accessibility, or environmental sustainability, and/or disaster recovery needs. 

  • Applicant facility is Texas Rising Star Level 3 or 4.

  • Applicant facility is located in a quality desert. Applicant projects that are co-located within or on the grounds of affordable housing.

Funding Priorities

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