(Radio Iowa) – House Republicans are proposing to more than double the amount of state money for so-called challenge grants to build or renovate space for child care centers. The grants have been available to businesses, non-profits and organizations that are retrofitting or building new child care facilities.

That’s Representative Phil Thompson of Jefferson, who says House Republicans propose three million dollars worth of these grants for the next state budgeting year. Representative Tracey Ehlert, a Democrat, is an early childhood instructor who has operated a child care center in Cedar Rapids. Ehlert says it’s exciting to have state grants for child care infrastructure.

Increasing the number of child care slots by expanding the physical space is a goal Ehlert supports, but she says state policymakers must do more to address the worker shortage.

The three million dollars for Child Care Challenge grants proposed by House Republicans would be distributed, as it is now, by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Last month, the agency distributed 13 million dollars in FEDERAL pandemic relief money to 64 current or under construction child care centers in the state.