The Mason County Economic Development Council in partnership with Mason Matters was awarded Washington State Department of Commerce funding through the Child Care Partnership Grant. Child Care Partnership Grants support development of local strategic plans to expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare. The number of available childcare slots in Mason County is declining while demand continues to grow.

Mason County Childcare Coalition

Resources & Funding for Child Care Providers:

  • The Maxx You Project New Business Start Up Grant provides up to $10,000 to support new licensed child care programs or providers transitioning from unlicensed to licensed care in Mason County. This funding opportunity is available to eligible members of the Rural Child Care Network and is paired with technical assistance and business training to support long-term sustainability.

    Applications are open through January 30, 2026.

    Who should apply

    • New child care providers planning to open a licensed program

    • Existing unlicensed providers working toward licensure

    • Providers serving Mason County

    What the grant supports

    • Business start-up costs

    • Health and safety materials

    • Learning materials and child-sized furniture

    • Technology supports

    Key details

    • Grant amount: Up to $10,000

    • Application deadline: January 30, 2026

    • Technical assistance included

    Apply through Save the Children.
    Questions: childcarepartnerships@savechildren.org

  • Washington State Department of Commerce is accepting applications to help public, private, and tribal building owners comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard.

    This funding can support child care providers who own or operate in eligible buildings with costs related to energy benchmarking, energy management plans, operations and maintenance planning, energy audits, and building efficiency upgrades.

    Multiple funding pools are available, with a total of $32.4 million statewide, made possible through the Climate Commitment Act.

    Key details:

    • Eligible applicants: Public, private, and tribal building owners

    • Eligible uses: Benchmarking, energy plans, audits, and efficiency retrofits

    Application deadline: March 4, 2026.

    Learn more and apply through Washington State Department of Commerce.

    Contact: CBPSGrants@commerce.wa.gov

  • Mason County Childcare Coalition Meeting #3 (read more) – January 2026
    Coalition met to transition from discussing challenges to outlining concrete strategies for expanding access, strengthening the workforce, and securing sustained funding. Partners also explored workforce development linkages and reinforced the importance of childcare as economic infrastructure.

  • Mason County Childcare Coalition Meeting #2 Recap (read more) – November 2025
    Coalition focused on expanding childcare access across the county. Representative Travis Couture provided an overview of statewide policy conditions, while Julie Knott of Mason Matters facilitated a SWOT analysis to inform the coalition’s strategic planning efforts.

  • Childcare Coalition Kickoff Meeting (read more) – October 2025
    The Mason County Childcare Coalition officially launched its strategic planning initiative with a kickoff meeting that brought community partners together to discuss key childcare challenges and identify priorities for action. The session emphasized the importance of collaborative solutions to improve access, affordability, and workforce support.

  • Press Release (read more) – October 2025

Mason County Childcare Coalition: News & Updates

  • "Childcare is not just a parent issue, it’s a system issue. It affects whether people can show up to work, whether they can stay in training programs, and whether employers can retain staff."

    —Mason County Childcare Coalition Partner

  • “In rural communities, a lot of childcare is happening informally. Those providers need support, training, and flexible pathways that actually work for their reality.”

    —Mason County Childcare Coalition Partner

  • “There’s a real gap between what people expect childcare work to be and what the job actually requires, especially with the complex needs of children today.”

    —Mason County Childcare Coalition Partner

  • “Childcare is a barrier not just to employment, but to training. We have people who want credentials, but they can’t even get to the classes because they don’t have care.”

    —Mason County Childcare Coalition Partner