# Maryland Labor Launches Child Care Grants

The Maryland Department of Labor launched a **$1.5 million competitive grant program** to help organizations establish or expand licensed home-based child care. Individual awards may reach $250,000, and projects serving communities designated under Maryland’s ENOUGH Initiative receive preference. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for November 30, 2026; applications are due **January 29, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. EST**.

- Organizations interested in applying can attend the November 30 pre-proposal conference; it is 16 days away as of November 14, 2026.
- Applicants can seek up to $250,000 for work supporting providers to establish or expand family child care facilities, with preference for projects serving ENOUGH Initiative communities.
- The application deadline is January 29, 2027 (76 days away). Prospective applicants should use the stated timeline to prepare and submit applications.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** November 14, 2026

### Government Entities
- Maryland Department of Labor

### Key Quotes
> Critically, this program will focus on expanding child care during nontraditional hours to support workers in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and warehousing.
> — Portia Wu, Maryland Secretary of Labor

### Sources
- [Governor Moore and Maryland Department of Labor Announce $1.5M Home-Based Child Care Expansion Program | The Office of Governor Wes Moore](https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press-releases/governor-moore-and-maryland-department-labor-announce-15m-home-based-child-care-expansion) - MD