Closing the ARPA Chapter & Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Reno County Child Care
- Jan 1, 2024
- 2 min read
As we approach the close of ARPA funding, we want to take a moment to reflect — and look forward.
Four years ago, the Reno County Child Care Task Force was entrusted with $6.1 million in ARPA funding from the City of Hutchinson and Reno County. Through strategic stewardship, those dollars were leveraged to secure an additional $2+ million from the State of Kansas through the Accelerator Grant initiative.
Together, we were able to:
Stabilize programs following COVID
Prevent closures across our county
Launch new child care locations
Expand existing programs
Create new licensed child care slots
Support workforce retention and infant capacity
Those dollars were temporary — but their impact was significant.
A Transition Moment
The original role of the Task Force was to administer ARPA funds responsibly and maximize their impact. That chapter is now closing.
But the work is not.
Over the past four years, we have gathered extensive data and learned invaluable lessons about:
The true cost of care
Workforce retention realities
Infant and toddler vulnerabilities
Business sustainability challenges
What collaborative investment can accomplish
We are now entering a strategic transition — shifting from stabilization to long-term sustainability.
What Happens Next?
Task Force members are currently brainstorming what the next 3–5 years of child care in Reno County should look like, including:
How to protect the progress we’ve made
How to maintain beneficial initiatives from the past four years
How to secure local funding to support the industry moving forward
How to strengthen provider sustainability and leadership
This is not an ending. It is a pivot.
Providers: You Will Be Part of This
Later this year, we will share more information about:
Strategic planning efforts
Opportunities for provider input
Collaborative initiatives
Ways you can help shape the next chapter
Your voice matters in what comes next.
Be on the lookout for more details as we continue building the future of child care in Reno County — together.
With gratitude,
Reno County Child Care Task Force
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