The New Jersey Department of Human Services will continue providing retention and hiring bonuses as well as providing increases to grants aimed at both stabilizing child care programs in New Jersey and supporting child care staff.

The $1,000 Hiring and Retention Bonus Grant has relaunched and providers can apply now through December 4.

The $1,000 bonuses, available to both new child care employees as well as those who already received a bonus from the previous phase, are being provided by the Murphy administration to recruit new child care workers and retain staff.

The state has provided more than $37 million in bonuses to over 37,000 child care workers so far.

In addition, child care centers that were awarded NJ American Rescue Plan (ARP) Stabilization Grants earlier this year to help with operational expenses will be eligible to receive up to $75,000 in additional grant funding as long as they continue to meet program criteria.

That is on top of the remaining balance of the total award they were already approved.  Family child care providers will receive an additional $3,000 on top of their remaining balance.

With the additional funds announced today, total grants for child care centers range from $45,000 to $195,000 and the new total award for family child care providers is $7,000.