COVID-19 Relief Funds Bring Clean Air to Day Care Centers with HEPA Air Purifiers
Tiny Tots and Little Tykes Preschool and Child Care Center in West St. Paul, Minn. used 2020 COVID relief grant funding to install in-space, portable ISO-Aire™ RSF500 units engineered with multi-level purification components in their classrooms and through an integrated solution connected to the center's HVAC system.
The American Rescue Plan signed in to law last March delivers federal relief to support child care providers, many of whom were deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The final bill allocates a total of $39 billion to assist both providers and working families, and these funds are being distributed on a state-by-state basis.
“Through a Peacetime Grant, we were looking for resources to improve our indoor air quality. We came across ISO-Aire as a company helping schools update their air filtration system. My daughter is an R.N. and she is absolutely amazed we have this quality of air here in our Tiny Tots program,” explained ManaRae Schaan, Executive Director.
Many providers are seeking to use this one-time federal allocation to invest in indoor air quality (IAQ) upgrades at their center to create a healthy space for children, teachers, and staff during COVID-19 and beyond. For example, Tiny Tots and Little Tykes Child Preschool and Child Care Center in 2020 utilized COVID-19 funds to invest install a fully-integrated, commercial-grade ISO-Aire™ purification system paired with in-space portable air filtration units. Our team of IAQ experts at ISO-Aire™ have helped dozens of providers with facility assessments, IAQ planning, project proposals, and hands-on installations.
Ventilation upgrades are specifically highlighted in this American Rescue Plan Funding fact sheet for child care providers, noting states, tribes and territories can use these relief grants to: Support providers with funds to enable safe and healthy learning environments for more than 5 million of children, including by purchasing masks, implementing physical distancing, improving ventilation…so both centers and family providers can comply with CDC’s Guidance for Operating Child Care Programs during COVID-19.
If you are a provider exploring funding resources, below are a few key links that may be helpful:
Office of Child Care: U. S. Department of Health & Human Services
COVID-19 resources related to the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) can be found here.
An overview on the Child Care Stabilization Grants based on the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) formula can be found here. These funds are meant to provide financial relief and can be used to cover a range of expenses, including “facility maintenance and improvements; personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-related supplies.”
American Rescue Plan supplemental stabilization funds and CCDF allocations by state is here.
A 2021 state-by-state allocation of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) can be found here.
Watch our webinar that offers an overview on how ISO-Aire partners with day care providers to make indoor air quality upgrades at their facilities.
The Bipartisan Policy Center created a comprehensive tracking site that identifies states’ plans and funding prioritization.
An overview with the final text from the American Rescue Plan Child Care Development Block Program funding can be found here.
If our team may assist with ventilation upgrades at your center, please contact us today. Our ISO-Aire™ commercial-grade air purifiers are engineered with up to three levels of medical-grade components to capture and destroy 99.99% of viruses and emerging variants, bacteria, mold, pollen, dust, and more. We look forward to helping you take proactive steps to bring healthy air to your child care community!