Cleveland Child Care Scholarship
Child care scholarships are available for families that live in the City of Cleveland. If you are returning to work, looking for a job, or have had other problems getting child care, we can help!
- Program Guidelines
- Income Guidelines
- How to Apply
ABOUT CLEVELAND CHILD CARE SCHOLARSHIPS:
Starting Point's Billie Osborne-Fears Child Care Scholarship Program has supported families in Northeast Ohio for over 30 years, helping families with the cost of child care so that they can work. Thanks to the generous support of the City of Cleveland's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), we can extend these scholarships and offer more Cleveland families the opportunity to enroll children in a quality early learning program.
ELIGIBILITY:
- MUST LIVE IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND
- MUST USE LICENSED CHILD CARE IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND
- Meet income guidelines: review guidelines for each option
- Have a child or children under 12 years old needing child care
- Families receiving publicly funded child care (PFCC) are not eligible
- Families that appear eligible for PFCC will be required to apply as part of the application process
2023 Federal Poverty Guidelines:
TO DETERMINE FAMILY SIZE AND INCOME:
- All income will be verified at enrollment.
- Chart shows gross income (before taxes).
Family size includes:
- Caregiver
- All children under the age of 18 years old
- Spouse or partner. Family size must include a second adult if you are married or share a child
*142% Income Guideline is 2022 federal poverty level, in effect until October 2023 for Ohio Child Care Benefits.
APPLY ON COMPUTER, CELL PHONE OR TABLET:
- The process takes about 30 minutes to complete.
- Documentation is needed to begin. We suggest having this ready before starting.
- The application cannot be saved before submission.
REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:
- Photo ID for Applicant
INCOME VERIFICATION:
- Last month of pay stubs
- New employment: a letter from the employer with start date, rate of pay, contact information
- Unemployment: unemployment statement, termination notice, or other proof of unemployment
- Social Security Income or Disability: Statement within 30 days of application
Families outside of Cleveland:
Connect with our Scholarship Program Team to learn more about other options for child care that may be available.