In 2023 the Park City Council approved a one-time $1 million allocation to fund a new child care scholarship program after hearing from many families about increased costs and long enrollment waitlists. Park City Resident Advocate Michelle Downard said it is the first program of its kind in the state of Utah.
“The U.S. Conference of Mayors did reach out,” Downard said. “They plan to include the scholarship program as an example best practice within their guide that they will be publishing."
The innovative child care program has also garnered recognition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Since launching on Jan. 1, 2024, the program now supports over 100 children from Park City or whose parents work here but don’t live in town. The program offers two different scholarships for families and a financial incentive to providers.
Eligible applicants must earn less than 100% of the Area Median Income, or AMI, which is about $153,000 for a family of four; be a resident of Park City, or work within the city limits or for the municipality.
The scholarships provide up to $1,700 a month per child and are paid directly to the care provider. To qualify, children must be enrolled at a regulated child care provider in Summit County, and households must contribute 10% of their income toward child care.
Families that qualify for the Utah Department of Workforce Services’ child care assistance must apply to receive the Park City scholarship.
At the Park City Council retreat Thursday, Downard told the city council that roughly $650,000 of the initial funding allocation remains. She said the city expects the funding will run dry around December with the current enrollment.
Downard asked the council to consider adding an extra $300,000 to the program, which she said could extend scholarships into 2026.
The city council did not make a determination Thursday, but Downard said a future session will be scheduled to discuss the proposal.
Some council members expressed interest in working with Park City Chamber to build a similar childcare assistance program for employers. They also discussed potentially changing the existing program to better assist families.
