Harnessing the Power of the Reno County Child Care Task Force Accelerator Grant
Pretty Prairie is a small, tight-knit community committed to its future, but faced a critical challenge: the absence of licensed daycare facilities. This gap in childcare services not only impacted families but also hindered the town's potential for growth and development.
Recognizing that reliable daycare is fundamental for supporting local businesses and attracting new families, community leaders and residents rallied together to find a solution.
Priscilla Hoyt, Treasurer for the City of Pretty Prairie, was instrumental in leading the charge for a childcare solution:
“A big thing in growing businesses and helping support the businesses we have, is the ability to have daycare. We had a collective meeting to determine what we needed to do. We knew that Reno County had received some ARPA funds to help with this, so we knew that we would have a little bit of help and assistance. So we thought this is the time we need to put our teeth into it and figure this out.”
And figure it out they did. Through an introduction to the Reno County Child Care Task Force, Pretty Prairie learned about the Accelerator Grant, designed to expedite the development of childcare facilities. At that point, Pretty Prairie was already ahead of the curve: they had purchased a house and drafted a plan to convert it into a duplex, suitable for two separate home daycares—but needed additional funds to finish it.
Pretty Prairie was successful in applying for Accelerator Grant funds and was awarded approximately $230,000. This funding was crucial in transforming the house into two fully operational daycare units, each capable of accommodating up to 12 children, for a total of 24 children.
“The Accelerator Grant has helped us to be able to get this open in a much more reasonable time frame,” said Priscilla.
The grant facilitated essential renovations and allowed for the hiring of skilled workers to expedite the project's completion. The facility's design, featuring two separate group home daycares, not only provided flexibility but also maximized the capacity to serve the community's needs.
“My vision for Pretty Prairie with this new childcare in place is that we can continue to attract families to our community,” said Priscilla. “Our community as a whole benefits from this. I love this little town and it’s fantastic for kids.
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