May 6, 2026
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership Expands Successful Extended Hours Childcare Incentive Program
The Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership is celebrating two years of supporting childcare providers and working families throughout the Holdrege area through innovative community partnerships and solutions.
One of the Partnership’s most impactful initiatives has been the creation of the Extended Hours Incentive Program, designed to support childcare providers who offer care outside of traditional business hours. Extended hours are defined as childcare provided before 7:00 a.m. and after 5:30 p.m. — times that are often critical for working families in healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, and other industries with nontraditional schedules.
When the program was first established, participating in-home and center-based childcare providers received:
- $175 per month for offering extended hours, and
- An additional $175 per month after providing 15 or more hours of extended care.
As monthly rosters and reports continued to come in, the results showed overwhelming success. Month after month, the number of extended care hours increased as providers stepped up to meet the needs of local families and businesses.
Local employers have also reported seeing significant benefits from the program, including improved employee attendance, retention, and reliability due to increased access to flexible childcare options.
Because of the program’s continued success, the Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership has now increased the incentive for providers offering 15 or more hours of extended care from $175 to $350 per month.
This means providers offering qualifying extended hours can now receive up to $525 per month in incentives for their dedication and hard work.
The program recently reached a major milestone, recording a record-breaking 722 hours of extended childcare in a single month.
“This program continues to show just how important flexible childcare is to the success of our workforce and our community,” said representatives from the Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership. “Our childcare providers are going above and beyond to serve families, and we are proud to recognize and support those efforts.”
As the demand for extended childcare continues to grow, the Partnership is actively seeking business sponsors and community supporters who recognize the value of quality childcare and want to help sustain and expand the program.
Businesses and organizations interested in becoming sponsors are encouraged to connect with the Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership to learn how they can help support local childcare providers and strengthen the workforce in the Holdrege area.
For more information about the Extended Hours Incentive Program or sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Holdrege Area Early Childhood Partnership.
Call: (308) 856-9773
Email: Holdregeareaecp@gmail.com
Learn More: www.holdregeareaecp.com