The 2010 legislature appropriated $1,900,000 for grants to construct or rehabilitate facilities for programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.37. Programs include Head Start, School Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education, licensed child care, and other early childhood intervention programs. The need for facilities is driven by requirements that space is safe and accessible, early childhood programs must comply with DHS child care licensing rules. State appropriations must be matched on a 50 percent basis (dollar for dollar) with non-state funds. Minnesota Statutes 256E.37 provides authorization for grants to state agencies and political subdivisions to construct or rehabilitate facilities for early childhood programs, with priority to programs in counties or municipalities with the highest percentage of children living in poverty. Awards may also be made for crisis nurseries and family visitation centers.

Priority will be given to projects that collaborate with child care providers, including allday and school-age child care programs, special needs care, sick child care, nontraditional hour care, and programs that include services to refugee and immigrant families; programs that will increase their child care workers' wages as a result of the grant; and projects that will improve the quality of early childhood programs.

OVERVIEW:
$1,900,000 is available to construct or rehabilitate facilities for the following:
 Head Start programs;
 School Readiness
 Early Childhood Family Education programs;
 Licensed child care
 early childhood intervention programs;
Grants for individual facilities will not exceed $500,000 for each program that is housed in the facility, up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a facility that houses three programs or more (under Minnesota Statutes, section 256E.37). “Program” is defined as each of the following: Head Start, School Readiness, Early Childhood Family Education, licensed child care, and other early childhood intervention programs.
A predesign package may be required to be approved by the Department of Administration before proceeding with design work according to Minnesota Laws 16B.335. All predesign components are required to be completed by applicants as part of this RFP process, but in some cases the Department of Administration may require additional information prior to final approval.
Use Contract (leases) may be required to be approved by the Department of Finance.
NOTE: Grantees MUST NOT prepare final plans or blueprints and specifications for any major construction or remodeling until the program plan and cost estimates for all elements necessary to complete the project have been presented by the State to the chair of the Senate Finance Committee and the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and the chairs have made their recommendations, and the chair of the House Capital Investment Committee has been notified.
The program plan and cost estimates should include a description of the project to be constructed or rehabilitated, the cost estimates, the functions of the facility, and how the program will sustain operations in this facility.

Source and More Information: