Early learning providers in King County are receiving a significant infusion of funding from the latest round of Puget Sound Taxpayer Accountability Account (PSTAA) General Child Care Facilities Fund grants. Administered by Enterprise’s Pacific Northwest Market, these investments will expand and improve early learning facilities—bringing much-needed capacity to a system under strain and helping more families access the care they need.  

Over $2 million was awarded to 11 organizations that will use the funding for predevelopment, renovation, and major construction work. This third round of grants is projected to result in the creation of 44 new classrooms and 729 additional child care slots. Forty-five of the expected child care slots will be for infants – children under the age of 18 months – and 620 will be subsidized.  Two grants will be used to co-locate early learning spaces with affordable housing and two are going to strengthen the growth of emerging providers and organizations.  

Washington is facing a child care crisis, with more than 300,000 children ages 0–5 lacking access to high-quality, affordable early learning opportunities across the state. In King County alone, about 4,500 children eligible for subsidized programs cannot access care simply because there are not enough facilities. These critical investments help close the child care gap in the region.

King County Grantees 

The grantees include center-based providers in communities across King County.

For Kwanza Preparatory Academy (KPA), this support will help them get their project across the finish line in the Rainer Beach neighborhood.

“With this support we’re well on our way to achieving our vision: a culturally sensitive preschool and community hub opening in Seattle in 2026,” KPA Executive Director Yusuf Ahmed said. “Part of that vision includes a commercial kitchen to host food drives, provide nutritional training for young children and their parents, and support broader community events.”

For the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA), the grant is key in advancing an innovative approach to childcare in North Seattle.

“This funding has allowed us to stay on course with our vision of creating an intergenerational campus at our Northaven Early Learning Center, where young children and seniors can learn, grow, and thrive together,” said ReWA Senior Director of Education Susan Lee, Ed.D. “It has brought our multigenerational programming from concept to reality—especially during a time of reduced public funding and economic constraints. The grant will help bridge critical financial gaps and sustain momentum for our capital development.” 

Investing in Impact 

Picture of Creative Minds Early Learning Doorway

Over the past few years, investments from King County's General Child Care Facilities Fund have brought about transformative change to communities through quality child care and early learning opportunities. Altogether, previous funding rounds have supported 16 early learning partners and created 82 new classrooms.

Inspire Kids Early Learning Center put their funding to work to complete its brand-new facility in Tukwila, Washington. Inspire Kids used the funding to support the final construction costs of a brand-new center that combines five new classrooms (one infant, one toddler, and three preschool), a parent meeting and engagement area, an outdoor play area, and a covered drop-off and parking area. The center has 84 new subsidized early learning slots and has created a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for children. 

In September 2024, Bellwether Housing and Empowering Youth and Families Outreach opened Flourish on Rainier. This community features 182 family-friendly, affordable apartments, an outdoor garden and play space, on-site affordable child care, and offices for Muslim Housing Services. The co-located Creative Minds early learning center is uniquely positioned to address some of the most pressing needs within Rainier Valley, one of the city’s most ethnically diverse and underserved areas that is facing increasing pressures from gentrification. 

The next round of funding is expected to open later this year.

Pacific Northwest
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