JACOBS’ REQUEST FOR $1 MILLION IN CHILD CARE FUNDING FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY INCLUDED IN FY 2022 HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

East County News Service

July 8, 2021 (Washington D.C.) -- Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-53) announced that she has secured $1 million in federal funding for the County of San Diego Child Care Expansion Fund in the Fiscal Year 2022 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Subcommittee Appropriations bill. 

Jacobs’ Community Project Funding request was the largest project advanced in the bill and the only request advanced within San Diego County, according to her office.

The $1 million in federal funding for the Child Care Expansion Fund would be used by the County of San Diego to address the acute shortage of child care by helping small child care businesses expand. Program funds would cover pre-development, acquisition, and renovation costs, with federal funds matched by impact investors and philanthropy on at least a 2:1 basis. Both center-based and family child care businesses would qualify for the support, which must result in an increase in child care slots offered. The County of San Diego would work with Mission Driven Finance, a local impact investment firm, to administer the funds equitably and create opportunities for underserved communities.

“Every time I talk to families in the 53rd District, access to child care comes up as a top concern. Supporting San Diego child care providers and making life easier for San Diego families is a top priority of mine in Congress. I am excited that I was able to get the County of San Diego Child Care Expansion Fund included in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, and that we’re one step closer to getting much-needed funding to the 53rd District to address our child care crisis,” said Congresswoman Jacobs.

“We’re glad the Appropriations Subcommittee sees the value of our efforts to expand child care access in San Diego County,” said Nathan Fletcher, Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “This is an important step and we thank Congresswoman Jacobs for her leadership and being our advocate in Washington for this effort.”

“Families in San Diego, and around the nation, were hit hard during the pandemic, and the need for more and better affordable child care was laid bare.” said Laura Kohn, strategic advisor on early care and education at Mission Driven Finance. “Thirty-seven percent of local child care providers said on a recent survey that they aspire to expand to serve more families, but are not sure how to get financing nor how to purchase or build a new child care home or center. Mission Driven Finance, working with the County of San Diego and Congresswoman Jacobs, looks forward to filling the financial gaps and providing the support providers need to expand to care for more children and help more parents get back to work.”

The successful Community Project Funding requests for the FSGG Subcommittee Appropriations bill were announced by the House Appropriations Committee. 

More information about the eligibility for Community Project Funding and Congresswoman Jacobs’ submitted requests can be found here.