Indiana Launches Build, Learn, Grow Initiative
Indiana launches Build, Learn, Grow initiative to help working families connect to early care and education
50,000 scholarships are available immediately in support of Hoosier workers and their children
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration recently announced the Build, Learn, Grow initiative, which is making 50,000 scholarships available to help connect Hoosier children from working families to high-quality early education and out-of-school-time programs. The scholarships will be funded by more than $101 million provided to Indiana by the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, or CRRSA.
Through the Build, Learn, Grow scholarship fund, Hoosier families working in essential industries with qualifying incomes can receive scholarships for each child age 12 and younger toward their early care and education, summer learning or out-of-school care. Scholarships run from May through October 2021 and will cover 80% of the early care and education program’s tuition. Information is available at www.BuildLearnGrow.org.
“Access to high-quality early care and education is essential to Hoosier families and children,” said Jennifer Sullivan, M.D., M.P.H., FSSA secretary. “These scholarships will help connect hard-working Hoosier families and their children to programs that prepare them for success in school, help reverse learning loss and provide additional support to the families who kept us going during the pandemic.”
For families to qualify for Build, Learn, Grow scholarships, an adult in the household must work in an essential business (examples include health care, human services, retail, restaurant and food service, essential infrastructure, media, manufacturing and logistics, religious and charitable organizations and many others) and meet income eligibility guidelines as outlined here. Families will qualify for The Build, Learn, Grow scholarship with incomes of up to 250% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that equates to an annual income of about $66,000. Qualifying families should complete the Build, Learn, Grow Scholarship Fund application found here and submit it to their early care and education provider. Families not currently connected to an early care and education program will be able to find a list of participating programs on the Build, Learn, Grow website as they enroll and become qualified. All providers who currently accept federal child care assistance are encouraged to enroll.
To administer the Build, Learn, Grow scholarship program, the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning has partnered with Early Learning Indiana and Indiana Afterschool Network, the state’s leading organizations supporting early care and education and out-of-school-time programs.
Early care and education and out-of-school-time programs interested in receiving children with Build, Learn, Grow scholarships can learn more at www.BuildLearnGrow.org.