Wyoming childcare provider startup grant submissions have concluded, following the receipt of approximately one hundred applications.
In an effort to address the state's childcare shortage and bolster Wyoming's workforce and communities, a series of childcare provider grants have been implemented. The Wyoming Interagency Working Group on Childcare launched the program in January 2025, with a commitment to distribute funds six times throughout the year.
The grant program, administered by the Wyoming Community Foundation, offers up to $10,000 per applicant. Priority is given to applicants in childcare deserts—communities with limited or no existing childcare options—and to home-based providers seeking startup support or providers aiming to expand access or establish new programs.
The grants aim to increase childcare options, particularly in underserved rural or remote areas, which is critical to support families and working parents. By prioritising startups and expansions, the grants intend to build a more resilient childcare infrastructure that can sustainably meet local demand. Such investments support economic development since accessible childcare enables parents to participate in the workforce, benefiting businesses and communities alike.
The Wyoming Business Council highlights the importance of strategic investments, leadership, and collaboration to tackle childcare challenges long-term, emphasising bold action to strengthen communities. Strategies for addressing the childcare shortage include focusing on targeted funding to childcare deserts and home-based providers, using competitive grant processes to allocate funding efficiently, and collaborating among state agencies like the Wyoming Business Council, Community Foundation, and Department of Family Services.
One of the grant recipients, Cassandra Norskog, expanded her in-home program to serve 10 children after receiving funding. Before the grant, she served seven children. In total, 25 in-home and center-based providers across Wyoming received $183,450 in funding. The University of Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network's Professional Learning Collaborative is a partnering group for the Childcare Provider Grant program.
Micah Richardson, associate director of policy at the Wyoming Women's Foundation, believes the Childcare Provider Grant program can serve as a successful model for addressing childcare needs. Richardson states that childcare is not just a family issue, but an economic one. The Wyoming Women's Foundation encourages the legislature to make childcare a greater priority.
The Wyoming Department of Family Services reported that Wyoming has lost nearly 200 childcare providers in the past decade. The grants are part of a broader state strategy to alleviate childcare shortages, promote workforce participation, and build long-term resilience in communities through coordinated funding and strategic investments. The Wyoming Interagency Working Group on Childcare will continue to evaluate the state's childcare landscape and work to find additional avenues to address the issue.
Cassandra Norskog, a care provider, expressed gratitude for the grant, stating it has been life-changing in a positive way for her business and the families she serves. The grant program offers business assistance through the Wyoming Women's Business Center and the Wyoming Small Business Development Center.
The Childcare Provider Grant program, administered by the Wyoming Community Foundation, not only provides up to $10,000 per applicant but also prioritizes education-and-self-development by offering business assistance through the Wyoming Women's Business Center and the Wyoming Small Business Development Center. By focusing on rural or remote areas that often face a shortage of childcare options, the grants aim to improve both finance and education-and-self-development opportunities for families and working parents, ultimately supporting economic development in Wyoming.
