"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cherokees Offer Child Care Business Funding

If you have considered starting a new business as a child care provider or are interested in expanding your existing child care business, the Cherokee Nation may be able to help.

The tribe’s Child Care Resource Center announced that sub-grants made possible by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding are now available to help child care businesses. The sub-grants will be available through August 2010 and are a great opportunity for business operators that reside within the tribe’s 14-county jurisdictional area, said program officials.

“We realize that starting your own business can be frightening,” said Phyllis Yargee, manager of CCRC. “We want to help get individuals getting started in their own child care business to be profitable, successful and enjoy operating their own business.”

The sub-grants are available for business operators who currently have a contract, or will agree to contract, with Cherokee Nation, and accept or serve Cherokee children in a child care setting. You do not need to be a Cherokee Nation citizen or Native American to qualify for the funds. Yargee said that assistance will be provided to applicants every step of the way during the application process and the end result will be better options for child care throughout the 14 counties within the Cherokee Nation’s boundaries.

“We want to help provide the tools for them to be successful in business while being educated and trained in providing high quality child care to our children,” said Yargee.

For more information please call, 918-453-5044.