PITTSBURGH — The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services opened applications Thursday for $30 million in funding to support child care workers through the second round of the Child Care Staff Recruitment and Retention Program.
Certified child care providers participating in the Child Care Works program can apply for minimum bonuses of $540 per employee.
The funding for the 2026-27 program year includes a $5 million increase secured in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s state budget. The additional funding increases the minimum bonus amount by $100 per worker compared to the previous year’s distribution.
Local Early Learning Resource Centers will distribute retention payments to eligible providers in the amount of at least $540 per qualified worker. Providers and staff must meet program eligibility requirements set by the Department of Human Services to receive funding.
The bonus initiative launched in the 2025-26 state budget with $25 million in total funding and a minimum retention bonus of $450. During the program’s first year, more than 4,300 child care providers across Pennsylvania submitted applications, resulting in bonuses for nearly 39,000 individual child care workers.
Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh urged all eligible facility operators to apply for the funding.
“Every child in Pennsylvania deserves access to excellent early learning opportunities and every child care provider deserves fair compensation for the vital work they do every day,” Arkoosh said. “The Shapiro Administration is proud to continue our commitment to this workforce with investments that will directly support this essential field and strengthen our child care industry and our overall economy by investing in the dedicated workforce who care for our children. I encourage all eligible providers to apply now and receive this additional funding to support their staff and help recruit additional workers.”
The state’s 2026-27 budget includes $3.5 million for the Pre-K Counts program to assist early childhood education providers with wage increases. The state also expanded the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit to match 100% of the federal credit, providing over $445 million through more than 858,000 tax credits since 2023.
Additionally, an Employer Child Care Contribution Tax Credit allows businesses contributing to employee child care costs to claim up to 30% of eligible contributions, capped at $500 per employee.
Child care providers must submit applications online through their local Early Learning Resource Center before the Nov. 30, 2026, deadline. Once all retention bonuses are paid to existing staff, providers will receive any remaining funds to distribute as recruitment payments for qualified staff hired after the application window closes.
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