Which staff are eligible for the grant?
Current part-time and full-time instructional/teaching staff who are assigned to work in classroom and are responsible for instruction and supervision of children are eligible.  UPDATE: Based on availability of funds, applications submitted by December 4 with Director or Assistant Directors titles, that meet all other grant requirements, may be eligible for the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant.
 

Can staff be eligible to receive two grants if he/she works at two different centers or locations?
No, staff are only eligible for one $1,000 bonus. The center/location that submits the first application for that employee will receive the grant on behalf of that staff.

 
Are staff who received a $1,000 bonus grant during previous phases of the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant eligible to receive a $1,000 grant during this phase?
Yes, as long as they are responsible for instruction and supervision of children and have completed their required health and safety trainings and comprehensive criminal background check.
 

I am a registered family child care (FCC) provider. Can I receive a $1,000 grant for my assistant and/or alternate as well as myself?
No, FCC providers are only eligible to receive a total of $1,000 from this phase of the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant. As a reminder, this grant is to help you retain existing staff and hire new staff, if applicable. PLEASE NOTE: FCC providers who received the American Rescue Plan Stabilization Grant will receive additional funds for personnel expenses. Please visit the NJ ARP Stabilization Grant page of our website for more information.
 

My job title was eligible for the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant in previous phases, but not in the current phase of this grant. Why?
Funding for this round of the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant is limited to specific instructional staff titles. PLEASE NOTE: Providers who received the NJ American Rescue Plan (ARP) Stabilization Grant will receive increased grant awards, which 50% of the additional funds received through recertification must be used for personnel expenses, such as increased wages, bonuses and/or increased benefits for all staff. Please visit the NJ ARP Stabilization Grant page of our website for more information.
 

Do staff have to be registered in NJCCIS to receive a grant?
Yes. All staff must to be registered and associated with their employer (center/provider) under the “Work Experience” panel in NJCCIS to be eligible for the grant.  Information in their profile must be current (start date, salary and title).

When can I apply?
You can apply for this phase of the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant from Tuesday, November 1 through, Sunday December 4, 2022 (subject to the availability of funds). UPDATE: Based on availability of funds, applications submitted by December 4 with Director or Assistant Directors titles, that meet all other grant requirements, may be eligible for the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant.
 
 
How will providers be notified that the application is approved or what the total grant award amount will be?
Providers will receive an email via NJCCIS informing them of their grant application status and total award amount.
 
 
Where do I find the grant application?
The program administrator of a licensed child care center or registered family child care provider can find the grant application by logging into their NJCCIS account and navigating Grants from their Quicklinks panel.
 
 
How many applications can I submit?
You can submit one application per phase, so you can submit one application for this phase of the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant.
 
 
How do I add staff after I submit an application?
You cannot modify an application that has been submitted. 
 
 
What information or documents are required to apply for the grant?
To streamline the process, the majority of staff information is imported from the NJ Workforce Registry into the application. You should work with your staff to have them log in to NJCCIS and update missing or inaccurate information in their profile. If you have a staffer who had left your employment, you should update their end date to ensure they do not show up on your grant application. Providers have to upload W-9 and banking information for direct deposit payments.

Do I have to wait for completed trainings to be posted on staff records before I can apply for the grant?
It can take up to 14 days for training completion certificates to display on staff records.  As long as staff has completed or will complete the training requirements within 30 days of application, you can include those staff names on the grant application.
 
 
Where do I upload my First Aid and Pediatric CPR Training certificate in NJCCIS?
Go to “Registry” at the top of the page, and select “Professional Profile”.  Then click on “Professional Development & Certifications” to expand the section, scroll down to the Certifications section and click on “Add Certification”.  Complete the requested fields (Certification Type and Effective Date) and then in the Upload Certificate Documents sections click on “Browse” to upload the certificate that is saved on your computer.  A “Description” box will appear, enter details about the certificate, for example, “Your Name – First Aid and Pediatric CPR Training Completion Certificate 11-2-2021” and then click “Save” to add to your training record. If you need step-by-step help, visit the NJCCIS Help page.

Will staff directly receive the $1,000 bonus grant?
No. Payments will be made to the provider and they will be responsible for disbursing the full $1,000 bonus grant amount directly to staff within 30 days of receiving funds.
 
 
How long does it take to receive payment?
Payments to providers are scheduled within 30 days of application approval.
 
 
Is the grant considered income?
Yes. Grants are supported with federal funds and are considered income. 

One-on-One Techincal Assistance Sessions are Available!
These technical assistance sessions will help child care directors and family child care providers with the Hiring and Retention Bonus and NJ ARP Stabilization grants. To register for a one-on-one session, go to NJCCIS and search for the Event ID (found on the flyer). After registering for the course, you will receive an email with information on how to schedule your session with the consultant. 


For NJCCIS account questions, including questions about passwords, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-332-6512
 
 
For specific questions about the Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant application, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-877-522-1050
 
 
For questions about policies and grant eligibility requirements, contact:
Email: [email protected]