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Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program

The Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program was signed into law in May 2023 (Minnesota Statute, chapter 119B.27), providing Minnesota with additional funds designed to support the child care industry and child care educators. Building off the Child Care Stabilization Grant Program, which ended in June 2023, this permanent program will issue monthly payments to eligible child care providers to fund increases in compensation and benefits for early educators. 

Resources and Communication

If you need assistance in a language other than English, please use the resources below. 

Child Care Aware of Minnesota  can connect you to Language Line Services for languages other than English, Hmong, Somali and Spanish. 

Child Care Aware of Minnesota can be reached by phone at 651-290-9704 or by email at supportfunds@childcareawaremn.org.

Compensation Support Payments

Great Start Compensation Support Payments are available to eligible licensed family child care providers, licensed child care centers, and certified child care centers on a monthly basis. These payments are meant to increase early childhood educator compensation. Award amounts are based on the sum total of full-time equivalents (FTEs) with a set amount awarded per FTE. One person can account for up to two FTEs. 

For more details, please visit the Compensation Support Payments webpage

Legal Nonlicensed One-Time Payments

The Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program also includes payments for legal nonlicensed providers. Legal Nonlicensed One-Time Payments are $500 payments meant to help cover the costs of registration as a provider under the Child Care Assistance Program. 

Please visit the Legal Nonlicensed One-Time Payments webpage for more details. 

Questions?

If you have questions not answered on the Compensation Support Payments program webpage or FAQ, please contact Child Care Aware at 651-290-9704 or supportfunds@childcareawaremn.org

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