REETAIN BONUSES
Financial Rewards for Committed Professionals
REETAIN Bonuses help supplement income for early childhood educators as they work to establish a career in the field. REETAIN Bonuses can be used for program supplies, professional development, or personal expenses.
The REETAIN Bonus application for family child care educators will be open from October 1 through November 30. Technical support for accessing your account and application and resetting passwords will close at 5 p.m. on November 28.
We offer two REETAIN Bonus application periods: one for center-based educators and one for family child care educators. Bonuses are awarded annually and range from $500 - $3,000. They can be used to cover professional or personal expenses. REETAIN Bonuses are awarded based on education and according to state/federal priorities, as funds allow. Awardees will receive their REETAIN Bonus in one installment. In order to receive the REETAIN Bonus, awardees will sign a Participation Agreement and agree to remain working in the early childhood education profession for one year following this application period.
Applicants must:
- Be licensed to provide child care in Minnesota or work for a licensed Minnesota child care program for at least one year prior to the first day of the application (April 1 for center staff and October 1 for family child care).
- Continue to work in a licensed Minnesota child care program directly with children at least 30 hours per week (or 1,560 hours per year) for one year (April 1 through March 31 for center staff and October 1 through September 30 for family child care) after receiving a bonus.
- Have an hourly wage of $28/hour or less (center staff only).
- NOT be a current TEACH Scholarship recipient.
Applicants must provide a Develop DCYF Licensing Learning Record, which must include the following information:
- A current Develop Individual Membership with an expiration date on or after the date that you submit your application.
- Verified employment as a Teacher, Assistant Teacher, Primary Care Provider, or Aide working directly with children at least 30 hours per week (or 1,560 hours per year) in a Minnesota licensed child care program. “Yes” must appear in the verified column.
- Current position start date is at least one year before the first day of the application period.
- A Career Lattice Step of 5 or higher.
Review Information
Read the award, eligibility, and application information on the REETAIN Bonus webpage tabs. Please review the REETAIN Bonus Application Guide to learn how to apply for a REETAIN Bonus.
Gather Documents
Gather the three required documents listed below:
- Your DCYF Licensing Learning Record from Develop (Please refer to the Eligibility tab for details of the required learning record information).
- Proof of income
- Family child care educators: A copy of your current DCYF/DHS Family Child Care License or the current DCYF/DHS Family Child Care License where you are employed.
- Center-based educators: A copy of your most recent pay statement that shows your pay rate, the date, your name, and the name and address of your employer.
- W-9 form
- Review a sample W-9 form in the REETAIN Bonus Application Guide. Submitting an incomplete or incorrect W-9 form may prevent your REETAIN Bonus application from being scored.
- Download a W-9 form to your computer or device. Then, complete the form with your name, personal address, Social Security number or Employer Identification Number (EIN), signature, and date. Save the form to your computer or device so you can upload it to the application form.
Create Account
Anyone using Child Care Aware of Minnesota’s Grants and Scholarships Application Portal for the first time will need to create an account. To do this, visit our Grants and Scholarships Application Portal webpage, fill in the required fields with your personal information, and click “Create Account.” You’ll then receive an email with a link and instructions on how to access your account.
Apply
To apply online, log into the Grants and Scholarships Application Portal and select the appropriate REETAIN Application period and your child care program type:
- The Family Child Care Application is available October through November each year.
- The Child Care Center Application is available April through May each year.
How often is REETAIN available?
Eligible educators may apply for a REETAIN Bonus each year. Family child care educators can apply during the fall application period (October – November) and center-based educators can apply during the spring application period (April – May).
How is REETAIN funded?
REETAIN is funded by federal and state dollars. These funds come with specific rules about how they are awarded, which have been written into state legislation. These rules are reflected in the application and scoring process through a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families and Child Care Aware of Minnesota.
How do I submit my REETAIN application?
REETAIN applications must be submitted electronically using the Grants and Scholarships Application Portal found under the Application Process tab. Applications that are printed and mailed in will not be accepted. The Grants and Scholarships Application Portal has a secure upload feature for submitting the required documents with your application.
Can I edit my application after submitting it on the Grants and Scholarships Application Portal?
No, once an application is submitted, it is final and cannot be edited.
Can I submit a second application if I realize I made a mistake?
No, more than one application cannot be submitted and will not be scored. If you have questions or concerns about your application, email REETAIN@childcareawaremn.org within 48 hours of submitting your application.
Do I need to re-apply and re-submit supporting documents even if I have applied for REETAIN in the past?
Yes, you must complete a new application each year and re-submit all supporting documents. This ensures that all information is up to date.
How much money could I receive?
The bonus amounts are based on your education level. The Career Lattice Step listed on your Develop Learning record will be used to determine your bonus amount.
The amounts are:
| Education Level | Bonus |
| Career Lattice Step 5 or higher without a CDA | $500 |
| Career Lattice Steps 6 (with a current CDA), 7, and 8 | $1,000 |
| Career Lattice Steps 9 - 10c (associate degree or bachelor’s degree) | $2,000 |
| Career Lattice Steps 10d (bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education), 11, and 12 | $3,000 |
Am I eligible to apply if I have not worked in my current position for one year, but was in the same field as my previous job?
No, you must be in your current position for at least one year prior to the first day of the application round to be eligible. For family child care programs, your license must be active for at least one year when the application round opens.
What are my chances of receiving a bonus?
Three primary factors affect your chance of receiving a bonus: The amount of funding available, the total number of applicants, and the score you receive in the review process. The total number of applicants will vary each round. Due to fluctuations in the amount of funding, it is not guaranteed that all eligible applicants will receive a bonus.
How are REETAIN Bonus applications scored?
Each application is reviewed and scored by at least two Child Care Aware of Minnesota staff members. Applications are only scored if all three of the required documents are submitted, completed, and accurate.
Develop DCYF Licensing Learning Record information is used to determine points for your education level. The Career Lattice Step is used to determine these points with points increasing as the Career Lattice Step increases.
Develop DCYF Licensing Learning Record information is also used to determine points for years of employment in the field working directly with children at least 30 hours per week. Points increase with years of employment.
Center staff receive points for wage level, with more points awarded for lower wages. Points are calculated based on information listed on your paystub.
Family child care educators receive points for training hours above licensing requirements that occurred during the previous calendar year. Points are calculated according to the total number of verified hours listed on your DCYF Licensing Learning Record for the previous calendar year
Child Care Aware of Minnesota does not have access to applicant’s Develop accounts or Achieve’s database. It is extremely important to update your Develop Membership with accurate and complete education and employment information before applying for a REETAIN Bonus.
How can I improve my score?
To ensure that your application receives a fair and accurate score, make sure that you submit your Develop DCYF Learning Record with accurate and up-to-date information.
If you have a Career Lattice Step of 5 or 6 without a Child Development Association credential, seek information and support to obtain your CDA.
For financial support to increase your Career Lattice Step, visit our CDA Awards and TEACH Scholarship pages.
For advising and mentorship support to help you meet your career and education goals visit our Empower to Educate page.
If awarded, when do I get the money?
Award emails are sent by December 20 with funds processed in February for the Fall Family Child Care round.
Award emails are sent by June 20 with funds processed in August for the Spring Child Care Center round.
Award emails will include a copy of the participation agreement that was signed as part of your REETAIN Bonus application. The bonus will be dispersed in one installment. Awardees must complete an employment verification survey upon accepting the award and after one year of receiving the funds.
Are there restrictions on how I spend my bonus? Do I need to report my spending?
The money can be spent on personal or professional costs. There are no requirements for reporting how you used the bonus. However, we will ask you to fill out an anonymous survey about the process, which may include a question on how the REETAIN Bonus helped you financially. This information is used for statistical purposes only.
Why do I have to give you a W-9 form with my Social Security number?
If you are awarded a REETAIN Bonus, we need your Social Security number or Employer Identification Number (EIN). This information is submitted on a W-9 form. A link to the W-9 form is found under the Application Process tab and on the application. The Grants and Scholarships Application Portal is secure and provides a safe way to submit your W-9 information.
You will need to report your bonus as income to the IRS. As required by the IRS, we will send you a Form 1099-NEC by January 31 if you received more than $600 in the previous year.
How is my information kept confidential and secure?
Online forms and documents submitted to our Grants department are received and processed only by Child Care Aware of Minnesota staff who need the information to complete their assigned work related to your submission. Documents are electronically filed on a secure server that is owned and maintained by Child Care Aware of Minnesota. Additionally, all staff are required to complete DHS Data Privacy Training annually.
What if I get a bonus, but then quit or lose my job?
Please notify REETAIN@childcareawaremn.org of any employment changes right away. If you leave the field or if you change jobs and are no longer in a classroom role as described under the Eligibility tab and you have already received funding, you may be asked to pay the money back and you may not be eligible to receive a REETAIN Bonus in the future .
If you change jobs and maintain eligibility requirements of working directly with children for at least 30 hours in a Minnesota licensed child care program, you will be asked to submit a new copy of your learning record and a pay statement that reflects your new verified employment.
Are child care center directors eligible for REETAIN?
Directors are not usually eligible for REETAIN. However, if a director also works at least 30 hours a week as a classroom Teacher, Assistant Teacher, or Aide, they would be eligible for a REETAIN Bonus. Both position titles of Director and the classroom position title need to be verified on a Develop DCYF Learning Record. Each position title needs to include the corresponding age group(s), the number of hours dedicated to each role per week, and the start date. The hours/week for all positions listed should add up to the total hours worked each week.
How will I know if Child Care Aware has received my application and supporting documents?
When your application is submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to notify you. Please check your spam or junk folder for the automatic confirmation email. If you have not received a notification or have questions about your application, you can email REETAIN@childcareawaremn.org.
Who can I contact for answers to questions that are not listed here?
Child Care Aware of Minnesota staff are available to assist you. Email REETAIN@childcareawaremn.org. with questions you have about the REETAIN Bonus or the application process.
I would like to thank you for the bonus, I feel honored and proud that I received it. After struggling financially working in the child care field I really felt that someone really cared.
Everyone was so helpful through this process! Thank you for helping support early childhood educators!
