United Way for Greater Austin

Young boy outdoors holds up a crayon, looking at the camera, with other children and an adult nearby.

COVID-19 Impact

Many home-based providers in Austin, Texas are ineligible for other public supports and funding streams. This includes providers likely to be immigrants without documentation serving children of essential workers who are also undocumented and are unable to participate in the child care subsidy system supported by the State.

According to a recent survey in Austin/Travis County, 44% of family child care homes were closed. The biggest concerns among providers were the ability to pay staff and whether families will come back after the pandemic is over.

Emergency Fund

To address these income gaps, the Success By 6 Family Child Care Emergency Fund is supporting providers to sustain the supply of home-based child care in Austin/Travis County. The fund will award 54 providers grants of up to $1,500 with the goal to address both immediate needs and long-term sustainability and quality of the in-home child care ecosystem.

Home Grown is a national collaborative of funders committed to improving the quality of and access to home-based child care with a mission to increase access to and the quality of home-based child care. 

October 9, 2025
Families and child care providers are being squeezed as pandemic-era supports expire and federal funding stalls. Across the country, home-based providers are struggling to stay open amid lower reimbursements and rising costs. Without stronger federal investment in the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), tens of thousands of children could lose access to care.
September 30, 2025
Carmela is a family, friend and neighbor caregiver who is proud of her Hispanic heritage. Learn more about how her Hispanic heritage shapes her work as a HBCC caregiver in this blog.
September 8, 2025
Grandparents are unsung heroes of home-based child care. Millions of grandparents are stepping up all across the U.S. to provide primary care for their grandchildren. Stories like Tracy Owen, Natalie Whitesides, and Maria Buehler show how grandparents balance work, retirement, or other responsibilities while providing loving care.