Posted 12 March, 2026
Iowa HHS announced grant awards totaling $5.2 to expand 19 child care and preschool program partnerships. This is the second round of Continuum of Care grant program awards after receiving over 120 applications the first round. A total of 39 applications were received for Round 2.
The awards reaffirm the Iowa’s commitment to further strengthen Iowa’s child care system. By encouraging partnerships between child care providers and preschools, the program helps ensure full days of care for 4-year-olds and strengthens school-age readiness. These awards will expand the number of children served through supportive staffing, hours of operation, and transportation options for child care and preschool programs.
A second round of Continuum of Care grants for child care and preschool expansions will be announced this fall for the 2026-2027 school year.
Continuum of Care Grants
To address gaps in full-day care, Iowa HHS released a Request for Proposal for the Early Childhood Continuum of Care grants. Grants of up to $300,000 over three years will support partnerships between Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) sites and licensed child care centers to offer seamless, full-day care for 4-year-olds.
This additional investment will further support a strong early care and education full-day learning environment, supporting working families with young children to be school ready.
Through this investment, The Continuum of Care grant program serves to bolster support for both the child care workforce and Iowa’s working families.
More information on this grant is available here.