A Summit County program that provides assistance with childcare expenses to lower-income households and workforce families with young children has been “wildly successful,” according to a staff report on the program’s status. The Childcare Needs-Based Scholarship Program officially launched on June 3 and exhausted all of its $130,000 fund within a few months and before the school year started, the staff report says.“In fact, the County Manager authorized another $53,850 from unused funds in the county’s employee child-care benefit budget to cover enrolled children through the end of the year,” the report said. “Without these additional monies, currently enrolled children would lose their scholarships at the beginning of November 2024.”The County Council approved the $130,000 as part of the 2024 budget and directed staff members to explore options, such as providing tuition scholarships or helping employers set up their own childcare programs.Families with at least one parent who lives or works in the county and a household income less than the area median income are eligible for assistance. Regulated childcare providers can get an incentive to serve children enrolled in the Department of Workforce Services childcare assistance programs. Park City had partnered last year with childcare network Upwards on the needs-based scholarship program, and Summit County decided to do the same. Only people who live or work within Park City limits are eligible for the municipality’s program, so Summit County used its $130,000 to cast its net wider and cover all county residents.In addition to using Upwards to administer scholarship money, both Summit County and Park City have the same eligibility criteria. The Park City Community Foundation paid a 15% administrative fee for both.The program has 27 participating providers and 32 children living in Summit County and two children who have workforce parents have been provided scholarships, the report says. Coalville is the area most served by the scholarships and the largest age demographic is 3 years old to kindergarten.Scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and Upwards has started a waiting list. It’s clear there is a great need for childcare support within the county, the report said.“As Summit County starts the 2025 budget process, childcare will be an item of discussion,” the report read. “Likely additional monies will be recommended in 2025 to continue funding needs-based childcare scholarships next year.”The post Popularity of Summit County program shows need for child-care support, report says appeared first on Park Record.