Accelerating Grant Distributions for Child Care Providers 

Challenge

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) faced the challenge of managing and distributing over $600 million in childcare relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Stabilization, ARPA Discretionary, and Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act. The funds were designated for distribution to childcare providers across Missouri over 3 years, focusing on four key areas: establishing new childcare facilities, expanding existing ones, enhancing current facilities with new equipment, and supporting staffing costs. The existing application processing solution lacked the flexibility and features to handle multiple application types and increased funding volume, requiring a scalable solution for timely and compliant distribution.

Solution

To address the challenge of distributing over $600 million in childcare relief funds, DESE partnered with BlueVector AI to create a comprehensive Google Appsheet solution that features a front-end portal for childcare providers to electronically submit applications and requests for funds and a back-office portal for DESE staff and their vendor Wipro to review submissions. Leveraging Google Cloud SQL, the system efficiently manages the high volume of applications and data. The back-office portal equips reviewers with tools for application processing, verification checks, and automated communication with applicants. Built on Google Cloud, the solution ensures scalability and security. Looker Studio dashboards were implemented to provide public-facing information and help back-office administrators monitor the review process. This integrated system streamlines the application process and enhances operational efficiency, enabling timely and compliant fund management.

Results

Implementing this comprehensive grant management system yielded significant positive outcomes for Missouri's childcare sector. DESE successfully distributed over $600 million in funds to support over 2,500 facilities and schools across the state, directly impacting the capacity to care for more than 150,000 children, ranging from infants to school-age. This timely distribution was crucial, as any delay could have resulted in the loss of these critical funds. The streamlined process enabled DESE to efficiently allocate resources where they were most needed, preventing the potential closure of facilities and ensuring continued access to quality child care for Missouri families. The public-facing dashboards increased transparency, allowing stakeholders to track the impact of the funds in real time.

About Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) ensures access to high-quality education for all students across the state. With a workforce of approximately 1,700 employees, DESE collaborates with educators, legislators, and community leaders to enhance educational opportunities from early childhood through adult education services.