Child Care Grant

1. You must submit a new application for each year you wish to be considered for the benefit.
2. The deadline to enroll in the UMB Child Care Grant Program for each fiscal year will be announced before the application period opens.
3. If your application is accepted, an acceptance letter will be sent to you indicating the amount of the grant and the beginning and end date for grant payments. (The amount of the grant will be spread across the months remaining in the current fiscal plan year).
4. Application forms are available here.
5. HR will validate eligibility and ensure all required documentation is attached, including the employee’s most recent IRS Form 1040 proving eligible household adjusted gross income and dependent relationship.

NOTE:

• You must indicate if you are currently receiving child care assistance from other sources. This may result in a reduction of the UMB Child Care Grant as the grant amount is limited to the total unreimbursed child care expenses.
• Incomplete forms will be rejected.
• Forms received after the deadline will be rejected.
• If the child is claimed as a dependent by another, additional proof of your dependent relationship (e.g., birth certificate) is required.

1. Monthly submissions must be made here: Monthly Submission of Child Care Receipt(s)
2. Employees whose applications have been approved must submit a Monthly Child Care Grant Program Expense Filing form by the first Friday of the following month. A copy of child care payment receipts for the period and proof of receipt of any other child care assistance benefits received that period must be included. The purpose of the attestation is to ensure the employee paid for child care expenses during the filing period. It is not a reimbursement request.
3. Monthly Child Care Grant Program Expense Filings must be submitted through the automated process by the first Friday of the following month in which the expense is incurred.
4. Approved grant payments will be included in the second paycheck each month. This payment is contingent upon you having paid for child care for that month. Example: The amount received in December is based on you having paid for child care that you incurred in December. It is not based on when the recipient paid for the care.
5. There may be exceptions to the pay schedule deadlines due to the year-end December deadlines. For accurate year-end processing, the deadlines will be adjusted to ensure the awarded grant amount has been paid to each participant and will be communicated to the participants.
6. Late monthly expense filings may result in the termination of the employee’s UMB Child Care Grant benefits.
7. UMB is advancing the payments based on the expectation that your monthly expense filing is done on a timely basis. If receipts are not submitted with the monthly expense filing, the advanced payment may be deducted from the next month’s grant payment.

Regular staff, regular faculty, and postdoctoral fellows (on payroll) working 50 percent FTE or more are eligible to apply for the UMB Child Care Grant.

Eligibility is dependent on your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). If you have a spouse, he or she must be employed or enrolled in school at least 15 hours per week, be actively looking for work, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program.

Eligible employees must have bona fide work-related (child care or before/after care required during work time) unreimbursed child care costs up to the amount of UMB Child Care Grant, and they must meet the need-based criteria as defined for each tier (see Appendix A). Employees who add a dependent (i.e., newborn) during the plan year are eligible to apply for the next fiscal year’s grant. An employee who participates in a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account may also participate in the UMB Child Care Grant Program because this program is an after-tax plan.

Qualifying dependents include all children under age 6 or still in preschool or before/after school care for children up to age 12.

Human Resources (HR) will validate qualified dependent(s) based on the employee’s most recent IRS Form 1040.

If another person claims the child as a dependent, proof of your dependent relationship (e.g., birth certificate) is required. Please contact HR Benefits for more information.

Eligible expenses include paid child care provided during scheduled work or school-related hours. It must be for care during the parents’ work hours or school schedule. Examples include child care provided by:

• Licensed daycare centers
• Family child care homes
• Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten Aged Care (2 years to 5 years)
• Individual caregivers i.e. a neighbor, friend, or relative.
• Before school care up to age 12
• After-school care up to age 12 or
• Combined before/after school care up to age 12
• Summer care up to age 12

Qualifying child care providers are limited to licensed or unlicensed providers who attest in writing, in the form of a signed receipt, that they have received compensation to provide child care each month.

The care may be provided by a relative or non-relative but cannot be provided by your child under the age of 19 (tax dependent or not), the child's parent, or another tax dependent who is paid by you for the child care. Other restrictions, as identified by the IRS, may apply.

The following expenses do not qualify for reimbursement by the Child Care Grant:

• Paid kindergarten
• Care during non-work or non-school related hours
• Educational expenses such as classes, tutoring and enrichment programs
• Supplies, medical bills, or costs that are not for caregiving
• Tuition to hold a spot at a center.

If you have a spouse or legal partner, he or she must be employed or actively looking for work, enrolled in school, or have documentation that a disabling condition prevents full-time caregiving, to qualify for this program.

Your federal income tax return indicates your AGI. It is on line 11 if you filed a Form 1040 or 1040-SR.

To verify family income, you must show documentation of your annual adjusted gross income. If you have a spouse or domestic partner, their income must be included. Submit a completed, signed (or e-filed) copy of your most recent US federal income tax return.

• If you and your spouse were married filing separately, BOTH tax forms are required.
• If you filed as Head of Household and have a spouse or domestic partner living in your home who also contributes to household or child care expenses, BOTH tax forms are required.

A 1040 must be submitted for all employees who apply. Exceptions may be made if you did not have a 1040 in your first year of work with UMB. Possible accepted alternative income documentation includes (only for those in which it is your first year working at UMB):

• A letter from your supervisor, sponsoring organization, or national government stating your annual income. It must be on letterhead, be signed, and have legible contact information in case we need to verify income. In our experience, sponsoring organizations are happy to provide this type of letter.
• If your spouse is enrolled in school, please provide proof of enrollment for at least 15 hours per week and a stipend or income statement, if applicable.

If you are not working 100%, the grant award will be pro-rated based on your current FTE status.

For example, if you are currently working 80%, you will receive 80% of the grant you would be awarded based on your AGI.

The Child Care Grant is considered taxable income to the employee. Taxes will be withheld from the paychecks in which the grant payments are received.

This information should not be understood as tax advice. The employee should seek professional tax advice to determine the impact of the UMB Child Care Grant on personal tax liability. 

NOTE: It is the employee's responsibility to select a qualified child care provider, including any screenings or background checks.

• The total funds allocated, percentages, and income levels are set by the University each fiscal plan year and may vary from year to year based on funding availability.
• The UMB Child Care Grant amount for employees working less than full time will be determined based on 1.0 FTE but prorated based on actual FTE.
• A committee with campus representation will determine who will receive the grant. The amount of the grant will be confirmed based on available funding and the qualifying participant’s need.
• The grant award recipients will be notified that their application has been accepted or declined (reason provided) by the end of the month preceding the first grant payment. If the application has been accepted, the notification will indicate the amount of the monthly grant, the period over which it will be paid, and the expected amount of additional taxable income.
• If the child is removed from qualified child care resulting in an overpayment of the UMB Child Care grant or if an overpayment is made to the employee by UMB for any other reason, the overpayment will be recouped by the University via payroll deduction from a future paycheck. Employees must agree to the recapture of overpayments via payroll deduction on the enrollment form, as this is a condition of the grant.
• The amount of the UMB Child Care Grant is not expected to fully cover and may not exceed the employee’s child care expenses.