Two New Hampshire child care centers will share more than $1 million in federal grants to expand and address the state’s child care shortage. A third center plans to increase the childhood education workforce with its grant.
The awards are through the Northern Border Regional Commission Catalyst program. The money will add 34 child care spots at the Well Collaborative NH in Claremont and allow the Keene Day Care Center to be able to enroll an additional 20 spots, bringing its capacity to 90.
The state's child care shortage has led thousands of parents to forgo work, making it harder for employers to find workers, according to a study earlier this year from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute.
“These projects reflect exactly what the catalyst program is designed to do – help communities turn their priorities into tangible progress,” said James Key-Wallace, interim commissioner at the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs, in a statement. “We’re proud to support local leaders and visionaries who are strengthening their economies, advancing critical infrastructure, and building the foundation for long-term growth.”
The Northern Border Regional Commission, a federal-state partnership created in 2008 to support community and economic development near the Canada-United States border, awarded nearly $7 million to several other organizations.
The Appalachian Mountain Club received a grant to increase accessibility of its trails in Crawford Notch.
Cottage Hospital in Haverhill will use its $1 million grant to increase its surgical services.
Speare Memorial Hospital in Plymouth received funding to renovate one of its buildings into workforce housing for contract workers and new hires.
Mascoma Valley Preservation in Grafton will use its grant to complete renovations to the Grafton Center Meetinghouse, to include non-profit owned and managed store space and public access infrastructure for the nearby rail trail, and the Kimball Mill property, including workshop space and booths for tradespeople and historic preservationists.
Acworth Historical Society received funding to renovate the Acworth Village Store to prepare it against future flooding and natural disasters, as well as expand and promote the market in the state, increasing access for small businesses to sell their products.
Other awards will be used to complete the expansion of the Merriman House nursing home in North Conway, renovate a downtown vacant mill into restaurant and pub space, and link Bethlehem, Franconia, and Littleton with accessible non-motorized trails.
