Community Action Project of Tulsa County, Inc. (aka ?CAP Tulsa?)

PROJECT PURPOSE

Across Oklahoma, an already insufficient number of childcare centers available to working class families was made far worse by the pandemic. As of mid-2021, Oklahoma had 200 fewer licensed facilities operating than in 2019, a deficit that expanded childcare deserts even in urban areas and forced far too many parents to forego jobs and stay home instead with their children under age four. With mixed results, Oklahoma has attempted to stabilize the childcare industry through additional operating funds, yet not enough investment has been made to expand providers? infrastructure to serve more children. In response, CAP Tulsa proposes to use ARPA funding to construct a new 12-classroom childcare facility in an area of high need to add capacity to serve 130 more income-qualified families with free, year-round early learning and care services. CAP Tulsa has already secured recurring operating funds through the federal Early Head Start program, but seeks one-time capital investments to deploy these new services in an underserved section of the Tulsa metro area. This proposal represents a strategic investment benefiting future generations, while also improving services for Oklahomans today by creating facilities that serve the public and help respond to the negative economic impacts of COVID.

EVIDENCE

A recent study by the Oklahoma Senate?s Business, Commerce and Tourism Committee found a major reason Oklahomans are not returning to work is a lack of affordable childcare options. Children must be safely cared for to allow parents to work, yet a separate report this summer indicates Oklahoma now has 200 fewer licensed childcare facilities than in 2019 ? while still others are on the brink of closing. The childcare industry is one of the heaviest-hit industries by the pandemic and represents great opportunity for strategic investments of ARPA funds. Supporting evidence is attached.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

Beneficiaries of this project will be the 130 working families with young children served year-round at CAP Tulsa?s newest childcare center. These families will income-qualify for free childcare, meaning they earn less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Level, may reside in a Qualified Census Tract, and receive SNAP, SoonerCare, and WIC. Low-income families were disproportionately impacted by COVID since most lacked adequate savings to subsist well during the pandemic while their household income was often further reduced. Children in these families lost crucial development opportunities during the pandemic and will benefit from re-enrollment into early learning childcare programs that prepare them for kindergarten. Finally, Oklahoma?s economy will receive spillover benefits from the renewed availability of childcare in the form of parents reentering the workforce and the reduced financial burden of childcare on working families.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Performance of this construction project will be measured by evaluating the actual costs versus the original budget, and variance from the proposed timeline for completion. Success standards include final costs within 10% of original budget, and completion within 4 weeks as scheduled. Upon completion, operating performance measures will include the number of working families on a waitlist served year-round with high-quality childcare. CAP Tulsa already collects this same performance data for various stakeholders, thus the agency is well-equipped to report timely, transparent results of this ARPA-funded construction project, and the resulting additional childcare options allowing Oklahomans to return to work.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding