Statewide Effort Aims To Improve Childcare Availability In Wyoming

A lack of affordable, reliable childcare has long been a challenge for Wyoming families — and a quiet roadblock for local businesses trying to grow. Now, a statewide effort is expanding to help tackle that issue head-on.

Following a successful pilot year, the Wyoming Interagency Working Group on Childcare has opened applications for the 2026 Childcare Start-Up Grant cycle. The program provides funding to help childcare businesses start, stabilize, or expand, addressing what leaders describe as one of Wyoming’s most pressing economic barriers.

The grant program launched in 2025 and awarded more than $228,000 to 24 childcare providers across the state. That early success revealed just how much demand exists, particularly in rural and high-needs communities where childcare shortages can limit job growth and workforce participation.

This year’s grant cycle, administered by the Wyoming Community Foundation, offers awards of up to $20,000. The funding is designed to help local entrepreneurs cover startup costs, expand capacity, or strengthen long-term operations — all with the goal of making childcare more accessible for Wyoming families.

State leaders point out that Wyoming has lost more than 200 licensed childcare providers over the past decade, a trend that has affected both families and employers. The Wyoming Business Council and its partners say the new grant program challenges the idea that this decline is inevitable by focusing on sustainable business models and providing practical support for local providers.

Priority for funding will be given to applicants who operate in high-needs communities where childcare shortages are holding back economic growth, who have a clear plan to serve more children and families, and who are committed to long-term success by working with business support services through the Wyoming Small Business Development Center.

The interagency working group is led by the Wyoming Business Council and includes the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative, the Wyoming Department of Family Services, the Wyoming Department of Health, the Small Business Development Center, and the Wyoming Women’s Foundation.

Wyoming Maternal and Child Health Unit Manager Feliciana Turner said the grant program aligns closely with statewide data. “During the 2025 MCH Needs Assessment, childcare gaps emerged as a primary barrier to family well-being and economic stability,” Turner said. “This workgroup is directly moving a key finding into action. MCH is proud to play a role.”

Funding for the current grant cycle comes from the Wyoming Maternal and Child Health Unit, the Wyoming Department of Family Services, the Wyoming Community Foundation, and the Business Studio at Laramie County Community College. The working group also acknowledged previous support from the Ellbogen Foundation and the Wyoming Council for Women.

Applications for the 2026 Childcare Start-Up Grant are open now and must be submitted by March 1, 2026. Guidelines and application materials are available at wycf.org/childcare-grant.