Program Overview: This pilot project will recruit fifteen new home-based childcare providers in Northwest Kansas. The project will recruit new providers and provide childcare specific and business follow-along support to establish them with long-term success. This pilot project is funded by a grant from the Patterson Family Foundation. The project will run from January 1, 2026, to December 30, 2027.

This application is for current, KDHE licensed childcare providers who wish to serve as a mentor to new home-based childcare providers.
Mentors must meet the following eligibility guidelines.
  • Mentors must reside in Cheyenne, Cloud, Decatur, Ellis, Ellsworth, Gove, Graham, Jewell, Lincoln, Logan, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Rawlins, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego, or Wallace counties.
  • Mentors must be at least 18 years of age and have either a high school diploma or GED.
  • Mentors must own/operate a KDHE licensed family childcare home, currently serving at least six children.
  • Mentors must live in their KDHE licensed family childcare home site.
Those requirements and mentor expectations are found in the document below.
Mentor Eligibility Requirements and Expectations

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* 1. Please enter your full name.

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* 2. Please enter your full mailing address.

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* 3. Please enter your county of residence.

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* 4. Please enter your phone number.

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* 6. Are you over the age of 18?

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* 7. KDHE requires family childcare home providers to have either a high school diploma or GED. Do you have at least one of these credentials?

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* 8. Please indicate other educational or childcare provider credentials you have:

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* 9. Please describe any past experiences you have had in childcare. These can be volunteer or paid work experiences. This can also be experience with your own children.

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* 10. How long have you operated a home-based childcare business?

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* 11. References. Please provide 3 personal references. Please include name and contact information for each reference.

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* 12. Do you participate in the CACFP (food reimbursement program)?

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* 13. Do you utilize some kind of online childcare management system (Brightwheel, Playground, etc)? If so, please enter the name of that system in the comment box.

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* 14. Do you have a daily schedule of activities for the children in your care?

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* 15. Do you have a parent handbook (or handout) that addresses the policies of your childcare business?

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* 16. Do you keep a monthly budget, or some kind of system to keep track of your business expenses and revenues.

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* 17. Are you willing to allow a prospective childcare provider shadow in your home-based childcare business for at least a day?

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* 18. Do you have any experience in accounting or bookeeping? This could be experience managing the "books" of your home childcare business.

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* 19. Why do you want to mentor a new home-based childcare provider?

You have reached the end of the application. When you hit the "done" button below your application will be submitted. The Innovation Center Childcare Program Specialist will contact you with more information soon.

The Innovation Center reserves the right to appropove or disapprove any application.

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