RALEIGH – North Carolina will open a $20 million grant window Sept. 14 for public colleges and universities seeking to build or expand child-care capacity in counties affected by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby.
The funding is available only to institutions in the North Carolina Community College System and University of North Carolina System that serve disaster-affected counties, according to the Governor’s Office and a state grant notice.
Eligible projects may include construction of new child-care centers, renovation of existing campus buildings or child-care facilities, and the purchase of modular units. Projects must be located on government-owned state or county campus land and address documented community needs.
Applications are due by 5 p.m. Nov. 2. A pre-application conference is scheduled for Oct. 6 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. The Division of Child Development and Early Education will select recipients and notify successful applicants.
The grant notice lists a funding period from Dec. 10, 2026 through Sept. 30, 2030. Individual award amounts will depend on the proposed project and available funding.
The $20 million opportunity is part of a previously announced $75 million federal disaster grant to support child-care recovery in areas affected by Helene and Debby. State officials said more than 230 child-care facilities were affected by Helene and more than 100 by Debby.
North Carolina has 58 community colleges, 16 of which currently offer child care on campus. About 10 of the 17 UNC System campuses have some form of on-site child care, according to the Governor’s Office.