Information For Providers

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Find information, resources, and guidance on opening and operating an early childhood program in North Dakota.

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Contact a Licensing Specialist

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Contact a Licensing Specialist

Contact a Licensing Specialist in your county to:

  • Learn how to become a provider
  • Ask questions about your current license or self-declaration
  • Report a concern regarding an early childhood program. You may also report concerns by calling 1-800-997-8516 or emailing dhsec@nd.gov.

Information and Resources

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Information and Resources
Best in Class

The Best in Class grant is a competitive grant award established by the 2021 67th Legislative Assembly and codified in NDCC 50-11.1 to serve North Dakota children and families the year before they enter kindergarten.

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Bright & Early ND

Bright & Early ND is North Dakota’s Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS). A QRIS is a systematic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early childhood programs. Bright & Early ND was developed to help early childhood programs offer high-quality care that supports each child's learning and development.

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Child Care Assistance Program

The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) helps pay a portion of the cost of childcare for working families, or families in training or education programs.

Families with low income who meet certain eligibility criteria qualify for the program.

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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides federal funds to nonresidential child care and adult care facilities to serve nutritious meals and snacks. The goal is to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults in care while promoting the development of good eating habits.
CACFP Eligible programs include:

  • Nonresidential, licensed public or private, nonprofit child care centers
  • Head Start, outside-school-hours programs, emergency shelters, and at-risk centers meeting the CACFP requirements are also eligible.
  • Certain adult care centers providing services to persons 60 years or older, or persons 18 years or older that are chronically impaired or disabled, are also eligible.
  • For profit child care and adult care centers may participate if at least 25 percent of the participants in care are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. 
  • Any licensed family child care homes, licensed group child care homes or self-declared child care homes provider who cares for at least one child is eligible to participate with a Family Child Care Home Sponsor (FCCH).
    • Family child care homes and group child care homes must be in provider’s own residence, the private residence of another, or a rented or unoccupied private residence.

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Questions? Contact Us

Early Childhood

600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 325
Bismarck, ND 58505-0250
Phone: (701) 328-2115, 711 (TTY)
Toll-Free: (800) 997-8516
Email: dhsec@nd.gov