Childcare Workforce Retention Program

The Honorable Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam, and the Honorable Joshua F. Tenorio, Lieutenant Governor of Guam, have established Prugråman i Pinilan i Famagu’on Guåhan pursuant to Executive Order 2022-07. In addition to making child care more affordable for working families, Governor Leon Guerrero, Department of Public Health & Social Services (DPHSS), and Guam Economic Development Authority (GEDA) are working together to support childcare providers, local families, businesses and non-profit organizations, provide opportunities for our youth to learn new skills and strengthen our community. 

Guam’s regulated child care employers continue to experience unprecedented staffing challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs are experiencing exceptionally high staff vacancy and turnover rates while also facing increasing pressure to revert back to pre-COVID operating schedules to support parents and caregivers who are returning to more in-person work.

In response, the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration is providing incentive payments to eligible child care staff to empower child care programs to remain open and support ongoing employment in the child care workforce. The Governor’s Child Care Workforce Retention Program opens on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 8:00AM and GEDA will accept applications until March 3, 2023 at 11:59pm. Completed applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and will be subject to the availability of funds.

For more details

Phone: (671) 647-4332

Email: caps2022@investguam.com

Web: www.investguam.com

Application Submission

Email your completed application to: caps2022@investguam.com

You may also submit your printed application to:

Guam Economic Development Authority

590 S. Marine Corps Drive

ITC Building 5th Floor, Suite 511

Tamuning, Guam

Program Information

Eligibility

For an employee to be eligible, the payrolled employee must operate or work for an active licensed child care facility, in accordance with Guam Public Law 31-73 – the Rules and Regulations for Child Care Facilities. The licensed facility must also be a registered Child Care and Development Funds (CCDF) Provider on a continuous basis that is currently open, serving children and located in Guam. The employee(s) of a CCDF Child Care Facility who works in an eligible position on a continuous basis, whether full-time or part-time, and meets the program criteria above may apply for a lump sum workforce retention grant.

Eligible Positions:

• Director
• Assistant Director
• Teacher, Teacher’s Aide, Assistant, or Associate
• Aide / Floater
• Cargiver
• Kitchen Staff / Helper
• Facility Runner / Helper

Ineligibility

The following entities shall not be eligible to receive assistance under this program:

• Afterschool program s at public or private schools;
• At-home child care providers; and
• Village sponsored afterschool programs

Conditions & Requirements

• Applicants must be currently employed at a CCDF Child Care Facility as a full-time or part-time employee, for at least 6 months of continuous employment prior to the date of application.
• Approved substitutes with on-call status only (versus actively working) are not eligible for grant award. This includes individuals that work for summer-only or only before/after school time periods.
• Should an employee work at multiple sites operated by the same child care provider, said employee is only eligible to receive one (1) grant award.
• Note: Grant awards are subject to taxes.

Application Process

1. Individual must download the grant application form on the GEDA website at www.investguam.com OR pick up an application form at the GEDA office on the 5th floor of the ITC building in Tamuning between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding government of Guam holidays. Note: Each individual employee must apply in order to receive payment. Supervisors and facility owners/administrators are not authorized to apply on behalf of individual employees.
2. Submit the completed application form and all required documents via email to caps2022@investguam.com. However, if documents must be hand delivered, please also bring a copy to be stamped received by GEDA. GEDA will not be able to make copies.
3. GEDA will conduct initial review of applications submitted and assign a unique application number.
4. Completed applications will then be reviewed by DPHSS for final action.
5. Eligible employees that submit complete applications will receive a notice of grant award.
6. Should certain applicants be deemed ineligible, a notice of ineligibility will be issued and sent to the applicant.
7. GEDA will submit payment requests to the Department of Administrator for payment of grant awards. Grant award will be disbursed via Electronic Funds Transfer and subject to the availability of funds.

Required Documentation

• Completed application
• CCDF Facility Director Verification Form
• Copy of income tax filed or Child Care Facility W2 Tax form for years 2020 and 2021.
• For those employees who received compensation under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program or the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUA) program, a copy of the Child Care Facility letter stamped and filed with Guam Department of Labor (GDOL) verifying that employee was furloughed during this time, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Most recent pay stubs (last 2 pay periods). Note: workers who receive cash payments only and cannot verify employment with a pay stub are not eligible.
• GovGuam Department of Administration (GDOA) Vendor Record / EFT Establishment Request to include a voided check, Personalized Deposit slip or current bank statement, and valid ID.

Grant Payments

This is non-competitive grant. Every eligible childcare employee that submits a complete application will receive a grant award. Funding is awarded based on completion of application. The single grant award amount will be determined by the continuous date and years of service of the employee as follows:

NOTE: Retention Grant payments may be taxable. Form 1099-G will be mailed in January showing the total grant benefits paid. If you move, you must report your new address as soon as possible to receive your Form 1099-G. Notification of your address change can be made on your account should be emailed to caps2022@investguam.com or postal mailed to GEDA at: Guam Economic Development Authority ATTN: GEDA Childcare Grant Division 590 South Marine Corps Drive, ITC Bldg., Suite 511 Tamuning, Guam 96913

Application Period (One application per person)

Completed applications or questions regarding the program, can be sent via email to caps2022@investguam.com beginning 8:00 a.m. on January 18, 2023. Deadline is 11:59 PM on March 3, 2023 and is subject to the availability of funds. The Guam Childcare Program reserves the right to include additional conditions and requirements as needed to comply with the program. Applications that are hand delivered to GEDA’s office will not be reviewed until the next business day. Email submissions are highly encouraged.