In 1991, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors adopted the Child Care Fees and Exactions Ordinance to expand, construct or renovate child care facilities in Santa Cruz County. Guidelines in Chapter 15.04 of the Santa Cruz County Code specify that resulting Child Care Developer Fee (CCDF) revenues must be used for projects that offset the costs of increased child care needs generated by new development in Santa Cruz County. Since then, the Human Services Department has administered a forgivable loan program on behalf of the County, via CCDF available funds. The CCDF Loan Program allows child care providers to apply for forgivable capital project loans, with funds restricted to capital projects that improve or augment the child care system, that cannot be used for operating or staffing costs. Criteria for funding loans are based on state and local requirements.

Applications that meet minimum criteria requirements as noted in the application packets will be reviewed by an application review committee for funding priority. To be eligible for funding, child care providers must be located in and serve families who live and/or work in Santa Cruz County; possess or have pending a valid state child care license; and be registered in the Child Development Resource Center's (CDRC) database administered by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Child care providers began applying for CCDF Loan Program funds starting the week of June 23, 2025, with the application period having closed on Friday, August 15, 2025.

Downloadable CCDF Loan Program application packets, *mandatory workshop information, and other program information were made available to all interested applicants via this public website.
 
*All CCDF Loan Program applicants MUST have attended a mandatory application workshop in order to be eligible for funding. Workshops were held throughout the county, in English and Spanish.

  

Thank you to those child care providers who submitted Child Care Developer Fee Loan Program applications. County Human Services Department staff will will follow up in the coming weeks will all who submitted an application, to confirm each application's eligibility for further consideration.
 
If you have questions or need additional information, you may email: HSDInfo@santacruzcountyca.gov
 
Thank you!

 
If you have questions about becoming a child care provider, how to obtain a child care license, need support with marketing your child care business, or if you have other questions not related to the Child Care Developer Fee Loan Program, here are some helpful links:
  • CLICK HERE for the Santa Cruz County Child Developemt Resource Center's information for child care providers
  • CLICK HERE for the Santa Cruz County Childhood Advisory Council's website
  • CLICK HERE to access the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing website