What are the ages for infants and toddlers?
For the purposes of meeting child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration, infant and toddler age ranges are as follows:

Is there a cap on how many slots I can create or request funding for?
Eligible family child care providers may be approved for up to two additional full-time infant and/or toddler slots as long as the provider is not already at maximum capacity.
    
What if my program needs to repurpose an existing space to accommodate more infants/toddlers?
Family child care providers would not need to repurpose space as the entire home is permitted to be used to care for children.

What programs can apply?
Eligible providers will include registered family child care providers that are open and available to provide child care services on the date they apply for the grant. Eligible programs must:

• Comply with state and federal health and safety requirements for registered family child care providers;

• Comply with the current family child care registration standards for infant and toddler child care, including, but not limited to, child-to-staff ratios and health and safety standards;

• Be in good standing (no enforcement action or fraud and/or funding misrepresentation investigation or misuse of funds);

• Use the funds to develop or expand quality child care spaces for infant and toddlers; and

• Participate or apply to participate in the state's child care quality rating and improvement system, Grow NJ Kids, no later than 12 months after initial grant approval.

All family child care providers and their assistants must complete comprehensive criminal background checks and required training. The provider, substitute provider, provider assistant and alternate provider all need to complete background clearances.  Any household member over 14 needs to complete a Child Abuse Record Information (CARI) check and any household member over 18 needs to complete a Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) check. For more information, visit our Training page. 
 
What does it mean to be a program that is in “good standing”?
To be in good standing a program must not:

1. Have any enforcement actions, such as pending suspension or revocation notices, serious violations related to child safety or endangerment; and/or 

2. Have any findings of fraud or misappropriation of funds.

If I applied for, and received, financial support from another source am I eligible for these funds?
Yes. However, providers accepting these funds must ensure the funds are not used to pay for expenses already covered by other federal, state, or local relief funds or grants.

How many infants and/or toddlers can I care for at one time?
The Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration (N.J.A.C. 3A:54-6.2) states that family child care providers shall care for no more than three children below one year of age or four children below two years of age, of whom no more than two shall be below one year of age unless a second caregiver is present.

When can I apply?
The family child care provider application opened on November 1, 2023. 
 
Where do I find the grant application?
Family child care providers can find the grant application by logging into their NJCCIS account and navigating to Grants from their Quicklinks panel.
 
Who can complete the grant application?
The provider is the only individual authorized to complete the application due to the information required for submission.  Providers may only submit one Thriving by Three Grant application during the application period.
 
How long will it take to fill out the application?
The application will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.  You do not have to complete the application in one session.  You will have the opportunity to save your progress and complete the remainder of the application at a later time.

What information will I need to complete the application?

• Full and part-time enrollment information

• Infant/toddler waitlist information (if applicable)

• Infant/toddler rate information (F/T and P/T rates)

• Assistant/alternate/substitute hourly wage rate information

How are grant applications prioritized?
Preference will be given to providers that are located in communities with few or no options for high-quality child care for infants and toddlers, are located in communities with a high percentage of low-income families, are able to demonstrate need to increase and fill slots and are committed to quality.

How do I check the status of my application?
You will be notified via email when a decision has been made regarding your Thriving by Three Infant and Toddler Child Care Grant application, or whether any additional information is required.
You can also check the status of your application at any time in the Grants section of your Quicklinks panel.  If your application is approved, you can use the “View” button to see information regarding your grant award amount and payment date.
 
What does it mean if my application status is “In Progress”?
Your application could be placed “In Progress” for many reasons, but most likely it just requires further review by our grants team. If we find any problems with your application that require your attention, you will be contacted directly.

Who can I contact if I need help with the application?
If you need assistance completing the application, please contact:

For NJCCIS account related questions:
Customer Service Phone: 1.800.332.6512
Customer Service Email: [email protected]
 
For NJ Thriving by Three Infant and Toddler Child Care Grant application-specific questions:
Customer Service Phone: 1.609.588.2300
Customer Service Email: [email protected]
 

How much will I receive if my Thriving by Three grant application is approved?
Initial Grant Award:  Initial grant award of $3,000 per slot, of which $1,000 must be provided to a second caregiver, either the alternate provider, substitute or the assistant, as required to meet child/staff ratio under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration.

Year 2 Award:
Providers who have not yet reached a Grow NJ Kids three-, four-, or five-star rating at the time of Year 2 renewal will receive an additional minimum grant of $1,200 per new infant or toddler slot, of which $400 must be directed for staff, as required to meet child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration.  This will be awarded 12 months following the date of the initial grant award and is dependent on the providers’ enrollment and active engagement in Grow NJ Kids..
 
If you are already rated three-, four-, or five-stars in Grow NJ Kids at the start of Year 2 you are not eligible for the $1,200 per slot grant award, however, you are eligible to receive $300 per newly created and enrolled slot.
 
Year 3 Award:
Additional grant of $1,200 (minimum) per new infant or toddler slot created  (awarded 24 months following the date the initial grant award), of which $400must be directed for staff, as required to meet child/staff ratios under 3A:54-6.2 Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration.
 
If you are already rated three-, four-, or five-stars in Grow NJ Kids at the start of Year 3 you are not eligible for the $1,200 per slot grant award, however, you are eligible to receive $300 per newly created and enrolled slot.
 
How do I remain eligible for the grant award in Years 2 and 3?
Year 2 Renewal:
In order to be eligible for a second year award, the provider must:

• Have enrolled in Grow NJ Kids

• Have worked with the CCR&R Infant/Toddler Specialist, who will have completed a needs assessment with the provider.

Year 3 Renewal:
In order to be eligible for a third year award, the provider must:

• Have successfully completed Grow NJ Kids Orientation; and

• Have completed the Grow NJ Kids Self-Assessment and Quality Improvement Plan, and moving towards Grow NJ Kids Rating; and

• Continue to have the newly created infant and/or toddler slots filled.

What can I use the grant funds for?
Thriving by Three grant funds may be spent in the following approved categories:

• Equipment/Furniture:  Includes evacuation cribs, changing tables, strollers, mats, tables, high chairs, rocking chairs, toddler size tables/chairs, outdoor equipment, sinks, refrigerators, etc.
• Materials/Toys/Supplies:  Includes curriculum, sensory, learning, exploration, fine/gross motor skills, etc.
• Staff/Recruitment/Hiring:  Includes advertisement, hiring bonus, salary, benefits, etc.
• Other Needs:  Includes professional development, technical assistance – room arrangement/spacing, regulatory technical assistance, quality improvement technical assistance, etc.

 
How will I receive payment of the grant award?
Payment will be made electronically through direct deposit. You must have a current W-9 with a date of 11/1/2024 or later on the signature line of the form to receive payment. Beginning 11/1/2024, please upload the new W-9 to your provider record in NJCCIS.

What is Grow NJ Kids?
Grow NJ Kids, New Jersey’s Quality Rating Improvement System, is New Jersey’s program to raise the quality of child care and early learning across the state.  For child care and early learning programs, it provides resources that help raise their quality and continuously improve their programs.
 
How can my program participate in Grow NJ Kids?
All types of programs can participate in Grow NJ Kids – a child care center, a school- or center-based preschool program, a Head Start program, as well as a registered family child care provider, who cares for children in his/her home.  All Grow NJ Kids business is conducted in the New Jersey Child Care Information System (NJCCIS). To enroll in Grow NJ Kids you must have a NJCCIS account.
 
For a short video on how Grow NJ Kids works, click here.
 
What are the benefits of achieving a Grow NJ Kids rating?

• $300 Thriving by Three Grant award per newly created infant/toddler slot at the beginning of Years 2 and 3; and

• Registered family child care providers who serve children participating in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) will receive an increased CCAP payment EVERY MONTH!*

*The CCAP payment rate for 5-star rated programs is significantly higher than for non-rated programs.  See chart below.

For NJCCIS account questions, including questions about passwords, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-332-6512

For specific questions about the NJ Thriving by Three Infant and Toddler Child Care Grant, contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-609-588-2300