National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 1

CHIPS for America: 

Designing & Acting on Child Care Solutions

October 25, 2023
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 2

Today’s Speakers

Liat Krawczyk

Senior Advisor, Workforce Strategy

Head of Child Care

Jesse Stoneman

Deputy Director,

Public Engagement
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 3

AGENDA & OBJECTIVES

Agenda

• Overview of CHIPS for America and Priorities

• Recap of Child Care Requirements and Evaluative Criteria

• Best Practices for Developing a Child Care Plan

• Q&A

By the end, attendees should better understand

• The U.S. child care landscape and 

the significance of care for workforce

• The importance of gauging employee care 

needs and community engagement

• A menu of actions employers may consider in 

building a child care plan
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 4

CHIPS for America Vision

Economic 

Security

Future 

Innovation

National 

Security

The CHIPS Act will strengthen 

supply chain security and 

increase economic resilience 

in critical sectors.

The CHIPS Act will spur 

innovation, increase 

competitiveness, and ensure 

long-term U.S. sector leadership.

The CHIPS Act will support U.S. 

manufacture of high-quality and 

secure chips for defense and 

other critical infrastructure appli

cations.
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Together with 

CHIPS 

initiatives from 

other agencies, 

including DOD, 

State, NSF, 

and Treasury

CHIPS for America Programs

$39 billion for manufacturing

Components:

1. Attract largescale investments in 

advanced technologies 

such as leading-edge logic 

and memory

2. Incentivize expansion 

of manufacturing capacity 

for mature and other types 

of semiconductors

$11 billion for R&D

• National Semiconductor 

Technology Center

• National Advanced 

Packaging Manufacturing 

Program

• Manufacturing USA 

institute(s)

• National Institute of 

Standards and Technology 

measurement science

Workforce development
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Funding Opportunities

June 23, 2023

For large 

semiconductor 

materials and 

equipment facility 

projects $300M+

For smaller 

semiconductor 

materials and 

equipment facility 

projects under $300M

For commercial 

leading-edge, current, 

and mature node 

fabrication facilities

Statements of Interest currently being accepted for all funding opportunities

To support the 

construction of 

semiconductor R&D 

facilities

February 28, 2023 September 29, 2023
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 7

Catalyzing private investment

Protecting taxpayer dollars

Building a skilled and diverse 

workforce

Engaging with U.S. partners 

and allies

Driving economic opportunity 

and inclusive economic growth

Accomplishing

these objectives

requires:

In the first 

NOFO, 

applicants 

requesting 

over $150M 

must submit a 

child care plan
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 8

Workforce Development Vision

Delivering on our national and economic security objectives 

demands major investments in the semiconductor workforce 

that will support good-paying jobs across the industry. 

America’s diversity is a comparative advantage; we must make 

significant investments to create opportunities for Americans 

from historically underserved communities.

Effective workforce solutions enable key stakeholders to work 

together.
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CHIPS & Child Care
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 10

CHIPS | U.S. Department of Commerce 10

Child Care Plan in CHIPS NOFO

In order to achieve CHIPS Act economic and national security objectives and ensure that 

everyone, including women, can participate and thrive in the U.S. semiconductor economy:

• CHIPS applicants applying for over $150 million are required to provide a child care plan for 

both facility and construction workers

• CHIPS applicants that do not meet the $150 million threshold strongly encouraged to 

provide a child care plan
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 11

THE U.S. CHILD CARE CRISIS

INSUFFICIENT SEATS 

• Over 50% of Americans live 

in a “child care desert” (at 

least 3 kids per licensed slot)

• Only 8% of child care centers 

offer care between 6pm7am

• Under 25% of construction 

and manufacturing workers 

have child care for the hours 

needed

DIFFERING QUALITY

• High turnover of workers due 

to low wages

• Lack of parent ability to vote 

with feet

LACK OF 

AFFORDABILITY

• Average cost of US child 

care is ~11K per child a 

year, ~15% of median 

household income

• In 34 states and DC, 

average cost of centerbased child care for infants 

is more than in-state, public 

college tuition
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 12

CHILD CARE IS CRITICAL TO U.S. 

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY GROWTH

EMPLOYERS

• Employers lose $23B a year

to child care challenges faced 

by employees

• Over 70% of working 

caregivers said better child 

care would make them more 

productive

• Over 80% of parents with kids 

0-5 stated child care benefits 

would be an important factor 

in retention

HOUSEHOLDS

• A 2023 report shows that 26% 

of parents quit a job; 23% 

were fired; 17% were 

demoted; 40% turned down a 

job and 25% turned down 

promotion due to child care 

challenges

• Families lose $78B a year in 

forgone earnings and job 

search expenses due to 0-3 

child care challenges

U.S. ECONOMY

• Nation’s infant-toddler child 

care crisis now costs $122B 

a year in lost earnings, 

productivity, and revenue

• Taxpayers lose $21B each 

year in lower federal and 

state/local tax revenue
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 13

Data Driven

Employeecentered

Innovative

Customizable

Fosters ROI

Bolsters 

Local 

Ecosystem

Robust 

Strategy

Child Care Strategy Characteristics
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 14

• Seats are available and not subject to long waitlists

• Care location is aligned to needs and preferences of workers (e.g., onsite, near-site, customized)

• Care is provided during hours needed (e.g., traditional and non-traditional hours)

• Multiple licensed and unlicensed settings are considered (centers, home-based care) 

• Providers and staff are well-compensated and appropriately trained and resourced

• Settings are in line with quality safeguards (e.g., regulations, quality rating systems, etc.)

Accessible

High-Quality

Core Child Care Plan Evaluation

Affordable

• Price of care is defrayed such that it is within reach for low- and medium-income households

• Schedules are reliable so that care can be arranged in advance

• Care solutions are considered for back-up and/or emergency coverage

• Flexibility in granting alternative arrangements for care crisis situations 

Reliable
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 15

• Work with community stakeholders, including state and local governments and local 

groups with expertise administering child care, to create effective solutions.

Work with 

Community 

Partners

Child Care Plans: Moving to Action

Understand 

Worker Needs

• Devise solutions responsive to the specific needs of workers such as during nontraditional hours and per regional market (supply, price, household) dynamics.

Design & 

Roll Out 

Child Care 

Offerings

1

2

3

• Design and roll out a concrete menu of practices, policies and partner types that can 

meet the diverse child care needs of workers
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 16

Understand Worker Needs

• Listening sessions

• Employee surveys

Evaluate worker needs Use findings to inform 

child care approach

Continuously measure 

value to improve 

offerings

• Number of parents

• Age of kids

• Care hours needed

• Location preference

• Care type preference

• Utilization data

• ROI data

1

Applicants are expected to devise solutions responsive to the specific needs of their workers 

such as during non-traditional hours and per regional market (supply, price, household) dynamics.

By designing solutions that are in line with needs, employers are more likely to have offerings translate 

into key business success metrics like talent attraction, retention, productivity and diversification.
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 17

Working with Community Partners

• Child care resource and referral agencies

• Associations for the education of young 

children

• Community development financial institutions

• Local dedicated funds for children and youth

• Licensed family child care networks

• Shared service alliances

• Faith-based organizations

• Economic development organizations

• State and local representatives

Employers

Providers / 

Caregivers

Child care 

experts Governments

Nonprofits

Child Care 

Ecosystem

2

Applicants are encouraged to work with community stakeholders, including state and local 

governments and local groups with expertise administering child care, to create effective solutions.

Non-exhaustive List of 

Potential Partners
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 18

3 Design & Roll Out Child Care Offerings

Model:

Description:

Company Expanded 

Off-Site Care

Company Onor Near-Site CareCompany-Secured 

Off Site Care

Financial 

Support

Company pays to 

increase capacity or 

operating hours at 

existing center(s) or 

reserves slots for shift 

workers

Company provides 

space.

Care Ops & Business 

may be in-house or 

outsourced

Company defrays 

cost of care (directly 

or via vendor) (e.g., 

via stipends, DSA, 

vouchers)

Company pays (directly 

or via vendor) to 

reserve and/or 

subsidize worker seats 

at existing facilities

Mixed delivery options can help provide workers multiple, 

often layered, supports to meet complex child care needs. 

A B C D

Design and roll out a concrete menu of practices, policies and partner types that can meet the 

diverse child care needs of workers
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 19

Example Actions

Create new daycare seats that align to labor force 

needs (e.g., hours, sliding scale costs) by:

Create New Child Care Seats to Address 

Supply Constraints

Challenges

• Over 50% of Americans live 

in a “child care desert” (at 

least 3 kids per licensed slot)

• Under 25% of construction 

and manufacturing workforce 

have child care available for 

hours needed Partnering with existing facilities to increase their 

capacity by funding site expansion and/or labor costs 

needed to add seats and/or operate longer hours

Building a facility on- or near-site

Operations can be in-house or outsourced Tap Into Employer Tax Benefits:

The IRS Employer-Provided Child Care 

Credit offers 25% of qualified child care 

expenditures plus 10% of qualified 

childcare resource and referral 

expenditures paid or incurred during the 

tax year up to $150,000 per tax year.
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 20

Example Actions

Secure Child Care Seats for your 

Employees

Challenges

• A dearth of child care supply 

leads to long waiting lists

• Parents who cannot secure 

a spot turn to more 

expensive alternatives, 

informal care arrangements, 

or downshift/leave a job

Work with a partner that has access to local 

daycare networks to enable employee care choice 

and support local and small child care operators

Design terms that align to labor force needs (hours, 

sliding scale costs)

Enable predictable shifts

Tax credits may exist for helping 

employees secure or subsidize 

child care seats.

Offer back-up care
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 21

Example Actions

Defray the Costs Of Care

Challenges

• Child care for one child is 

~15% of median U.S. 

household income

• Traditional care facilities are 

often not options for large 

set of employees 

Issue dependent care-specific or general well-being 

stipends

Offer dependent-care FSAs where the employer 

contributes pretax dollars, reducing payroll taxes, 

and employees choose how much to contribute

Help employees navigate existing supports

Examples: part time, 

shift, non-standard hour 

workers, mothers post 

maternity leave

Work with local government to explore employersupported child care cost mitigation options
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 22

Customize Employee Benefits & Design 

for the Toughest Use Cases

Challenges

• Limited care benefits can go 

under-utilized when they do 

not meet diverse needs of 

employees

Support building and coordination of informal care 

systems like family, friends, and neighbors

Mixed delivery models can provide benefits that 

serve workers’ diverse needs

Did you know?

About 50% of workers lean on 

informal support networks of 

family, friends, and neighbors to 

meet their child care needs.

Example Actions
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National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 23

Example Actions

Caregiver Supportive Culture

Challenges

• Only 56% of caregivers report 

their supervisor is aware of their 

responsibilities

• Two thirds of workers believe 

speaking about child 

care struggles makes them a 

“problem employee”

Train managers to support caregivers and to be 

open about own caregiving realities

Welcome transparent discussion about caregiver 

needs at work via surveys, focus groups, and team 

meetings

Support transitions around leave for both caregiver 

and colleagues
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Resources
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Teaming Partner List

More details at: https://www.nist.gov/chips/chips-america-teaming-partner-list

The teaming partner list will enable entities to 

share information, foster collaboration, and 

advance shared goals

• Entities that may not be eligible to apply can share 

contact information and capabilities 

• Potential applicants can access and reach out to 

entities on the list to facilitate potential 

partnerships and collaboration

• This list does not directly connect entities to potential 

applicants, but is meant to enable potential strategic 

partnerships
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Next Steps

• Visit CHIPS.gov for resources, including:

• Workforce Development Guide

• Upcoming and Previously Held Webinars

• Explore the Teaming Partner List

• Join Employer Coalitions

• Seek technical assistance from experts

• Sign on for our Mailing List

• Contact Us

• askchips@chips.gov – general inquiries

• apply@chips.gov – application-related inquiries
National Institute of Standards and Technolog y | U.S. Departme nt of Commerce 27

Thank You