What Providers Need to Know About CARES Funding

This article was updated on July 7, 2020.

The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) was awarded Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to support child care providers across Pennsylvania the COVID-19 pandemic.

A second round of CARES Act Child Care Development Funds will be distributed to eligible, certified child care providers through their regional ELRCs in July 2020 per an announcement from Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday, July 6. 

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Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) Region 5 distributed the first round of CARES Act funds on Wednesday, July 1, to eligible, certified child care providers in Allegheny County whose Attestation Forms were received by June 30.

Providers who already submitted Attestation Forms do NOT need to resubmit the form to the ELRC for July payment.

More details:

  • Department of Human Services (DHS) certified providers with Child Care Works (CCW) provider agreements will begin to receive CARES funding from regional ELRCs.  

  • Certified providers that have a revocation with Certification are not eligible for CARES funds.

  • CARES funds are not loans.

  • Certified providers will not have to repay/return this funding to OCDEL or to the ELRCs if they are currently operating or intend on opening.

  • Certified providers must submit the Attestation Form and any other required forms to the ELRC, such as a W-9 or 1099, for eligibility of payment of CARES Funds.

  • A second round of payments will go to providers in July. Providers have until July 22, 2020, to submit the form.

  • This date will be updated on the form.

  • Certified providers who do not have a current CCW agreement with the ELRC are eligible for CARES funding.

  • CARES payments will go to the certified provider location, not to the corporate agency, if a provider is part of a large legal entity. One completed attestation must be submitted for each location.

  • OCDEL recommends CARES Act funding recipients work with their tax professional to learn the personal and/or business impact of receiving CARES Act funding.

  • If a certified provider intends to re-open, even if the re-opening date is several months away, the provider is still eligible for CARES funds.

For additional information, contact ELRC Region 5.

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