Closed
Source verified July 10, 2026
Experimental Acres
Cost-based funding for licensed child care operators
Funding available
$ 3,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
Wellington County’s CWELCC Cost-Based Funding Formula supports eligible licensed child care centres and agencies in administering child care and early years services in the County of Wellington. Eligible costs include wages and benefits, accommodations, operational costs, and minor capital assets such as minor repairs or equipment purchases.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Enhance an existing program
- Implement environmental initiatives
- Conduct research and development activities
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 3,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Parent fee reductions prescribed in O. Reg 137/15 under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
- Wage enhancements under Ontario’s Child Care Workforce Strategy
- Growth spaces that improve access to high-quality and affordable child care
Documents Needed
- Copy of the Parent Handbook or an indication of where the handbook is publicly available
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Licensed child care operators
- Recipient Agency/Organization holding an Agreement with the County of Wellington for funding to administer licensed child care and/or early years services
Eligible expenses
- Wages and benefits for programme staff and supervisors
- Compensation for home child care providers and home child care visitors
- Accommodation costs, including rent, mortgage payments, property taxes, maintenance, and minor repairs
- Operating costs and minor capital assets, including food, supplies, utilities, cleaning, insurance, training, and equipment purchases
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Costs deemed to be in lieu of profits, including in-kind benefits or perks for the benefit of a controlling owner
- Costs funded by another public source or reimbursed by another source, including insurance claims
- Capital renewal for major repairs of sites of existing spaces
- Financing costs exceeding Canada Small Business Financing Programme Rates
- Penalties, fines, forfeitures, or liquidated damages
Eligible geographic areas
- County of Wellington
Selection criteria
- Existing centres/agencies whose rolling top-up divided by their benchmark allocation exceeds the County of Wellington-specific growth multiplier for the calendar year.
- By March 31 of each calendar year, the County selects for cost review the top 10 per cent of existing centres/agencies in descending order of top-up ratio, or the total number of centres/agencies subject to cost reviews, whichever group is smaller.
- The 5% Direct Engagement to Report on Compliance sample is selected based on criteria such as one-time funding, large cost recovery, or a prior compliance issue.
How to apply
- Submit the annual operating plan for the upcoming calendar year using the CWELCC Cost-Based Allocation Tool, including planned operating spaces, active homes, active home seats, service days, typical hours of service, and a copy of the Parent Handbook or its public location.
Processing and Agreement
- The County sends a year-end report in November each year, and operators must report actuals by the end of January.
- Annual reconciliation compares funding provided against Actual Cost-Based Funding and any Approved One-Time Unexpected Costs, and the County recovers any overpayments.
- The County conducts in-year funding adjustment reviews at mid-year and may update allocations during the calendar year.
- After each calendar year, the County selects a 5% sample of eligible centres/agencies for a Direct Engagement to Report on Compliance.
- Direct Engagements to Report on Compliance are performed by an independent third-party practitioner, and the County pays for them on the selected centre/agency’s behalf.
Additional information
- For 2026, the specified date is December 31, 2024.
- All CWELCC enrolled centres/agencies are required to use the Wellington-Guelph Child Care Application & Waitlist (OneHSN) for maintaining waitlist applications and placing new children.
- Ongoing communication may take place by direct email, operator meetings, and the County of Wellington website.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Experimental Acres Program
What is the Experimental Acres?
Wellington County’s CWELCC Cost-Based Funding Formula supports eligible licensed child care centres and agencies in administering child care and early years services in the County of Wellington. Eligible costs include wages and benefits, accommodations, operational costs, and minor capital assets such as minor repairs or equipment purchases.
How much funding can be received?
Experimental Acres Funds up to $3,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Experimental Acres program?
To be eligible for the Experimental Acres program, you must:
The applicant must be a licensed child care centre or home child care agency.
The applicant must be enrolled in CWELCC and eligible for funding under CWELCC.
The applicant must hold an Agreement with the County of Wellington for licensed child care and/or early years funding.
What expenses are eligible under Experimental Acres?
Parent fee reductions prescribed in O. Reg 137/15 under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014
Wage enhancements under Ontario’s Child Care Workforce Strategy
Growth spaces that improve access to high-quality and affordable child care
Who can I contact for more information about the Experimental Acres?
You can contact County of Wellington by email at ecdev@wellington.ca or by phone at none.
Where is the Experimental Acres available?
The Experimental Acres program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Experimental Acres a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Experimental Acres is a Grant and Funding