by Dennis Dalman
The Sartell City Council voted unanimously to add a new category to the city’s Community Grant Program – “Childcare.”
Sartell City Administrator Anna Gruber presented the proposal to the council. United Way of Central Minnesota has done extensive research into the lack of child care and its negative impacts on employers, parents and others. According to United Way’s current statistics, in Sartell alone there is a lack of 443 “spots” among childcare facilities.
The Community Grant Program in Sartell helps organizations deliver programs and services, such as for an all-inclusive playground being planned and discounts at the community center to rent it for a high-school prom program.
The lack of childcare, Gruber noted, can negatively impact commercial growth and can compound worker shortages in many companies. It can also cause a lot of absenteeism in the workplace, she added.
Since childcare in Sartell is in a shortage crisis, it would be good for the city to incentivize childcare via grants to create more openings for children.
The council was enthusiastic about the proposal, and Mayor Ryan Fitzthum noted it is ideal if a parent or parents can find a childcare place located between the trip from home to the workplace. He also said having more childcare slots could also promote more residential growth in Sartell.
The grants would be given to nonprofit childcare organizations, but only if they provide more childcare slots within the City of Sartell. In-home daycare businesses would not be eligible because they can often access other forms of help, Gruber noted.
Applications will be available to fill out for the grants. Money to cover the cost of the grants would come from the city’s Economic Development Fund.
Here’s what Sartell will offer:
A $5,000 grant to an organization to increase slots in Sartell from 4-50 children.
$10,000 for those who increase slots from 50-100.
$15,0000 for an increase of slots from 100-150.
$20,000 to increase slots for 150 to 200 slots.
The council passed the resolution, while agreeing that city staff should come up with a sunset provision for ending the program on or before July 2028.
This is the playground area of New Horizon Academy childcare center in Sartell.
