Last Updated on September 10, 2026 11:27 am
Gov. Josh Stein, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and the Governor's Recovery Office for Western North Carolina announced that the application window will open Sept. 14, 2026, for $20 million to build and expand child care programs in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby.
The funding is part of a total $75 million federal grant for Helene- and Debby-impacted areas, announced earlier this year through the American Relief Act's Disaster Supplemental Funds for Child Care.
Selected awardees will support design and construction of new child care centers, or renovation of existing facilities, on NC Community College System and University of North Carolina System campuses in impacted counties — a category that includes Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, which serves Watauga County. More than 230 child care facilities were impacted by Hurricane Helene, and more than 100 by Tropical Storm Debby.
The application window closes at 5 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2026. A pre-application conference will be held Oct. 6, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. NCDHHS will make award selections and notify successful applicants.
The public notice for this opportunity, including eligibility details, has been posted on the NCDHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education grant opportunities page.
“This child care funding will open the doors to new centers to support families, the workforce and local economies across western North Carolina and the Piedmont,” Gov. Stein said.
Of the state's 58 community colleges, 16 already have child care on campus, and about 10 more are expected to pursue funding through this round.
