§ 98.55 - Matching fund requirements.

§ 98.55 Matching fund requirements.

(a) Federal matching funds are available for expenditures in a State based upon the formula specified at § 98.63(a).

(b) Expenditures in a State under paragraph (a) of this section will be matched at the Federal medical assistance rate for the applicable fiscal year for allowable activities, as described in the approved State Plan, that meet the goals and purposes of the Act.

(c) In order to receive Federal matching funds for a fiscal year under paragraph (a) of this section:

(1) States shall also expend an amount of non-Federal funds for child care activities in the State that is at least equal to the State's share of expenditures for fiscal year 1994 or 1995 (whichever is greater) under sections 402(g) and (i) of the Social Security Act as these sections were in effect before October 1, 1995; and

(2) The expenditures shall be for allowable services or activities, as described in the approved State Plan if appropriate, that meet the goals and purposes of the Act.

(3) All Mandatory Funds are obligated in accordance with § 98.60(d)(2)(i).

(d) The same expenditure may not be used to meet the requirements under both paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section in a fiscal year.

(e) An expenditure in the State for purposes of this subpart may be:

(1) Public funds when the funds are:

(i) Appropriated directly to the Lead Agency specified at § 98.10, or transferred from another public agency to that Lead Agency and under its administrative control, or certified by the contributing public agency as representing expenditures eligible for Federal match;

(ii) Not used to match other Federal funds; and

(iii) Not Federal funds, or are Federal funds authorized by Federal law to be used to match other Federal funds; or

(2) Donated from private sources when the donated funds:

(i) Are donated without any restriction that would require their use for a specific individual, organization, facility or institution;

(ii) Do not revert to the donor's facility or use;

(iii) Are not used to match other Federal funds;

(iv) Shall be certified both by the Lead Agency and by the donor (if funds are donated directly to the Lead Agency) or the Lead Agency and the entity designated by the State to receive donated funds pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section (if funds are donated directly to the designated entity) as available and representing funds eligible for Federal match; and

(v) Shall be subject to the audit requirements in § 98.65 of these regulations.

(f) Donated funds need not be transferred to or under the administrative control of the Lead Agency in order to qualify as an expenditure eligible to receive Federal match under this section. They may be given to the public or private entities designated by the State to implement the child care program in accordance with § 98.11 provided that such entities are identified and designated in the State Plan to receive donated funds in accordance with § 98.16(d)(2).

(g) The following are not counted as an eligible State expenditure under this part:

(1) In-kind contributions; and

(2) Family contributions to the cost of care as required by § 98.45(kl).

(h) Public pre-kindergarten (pre-K) expenditures:

(1) May be used to meet the maintenance-of-effort requirement only if the State has not reduced its expenditures for full-day/full-year child care services; and

(2) May be eligible for Federal match if the State includes in its Plan, as provided in § 98.16(w), a description of the efforts it will undertake to ensure that pre-K programs meet the needs of working parents.

(3) In any fiscal year, a State may use public pre-K funds for up to 20% of the funds serving as maintenance-of-effort under this subsection. In addition, in any fiscal year, a State may use other public pre-K funds as expenditures serving as State matching funds under this subsection; such public pre-K funds used as State expenditures may not exceed 30% of the amount of a State's expenditures required to draw down the State's full allotment of Federal matching funds available under this subsection.

(4) If applicable, the CCDF Plan shall reflect the State's intent to use public pre-K funds in excess of 10%, but not for more than 20% of its maintenance-of-effort or 30% of its State matching funds in a fiscal year. Also, the Plan shall describe how the State will coordinate its pre-K and child care services to expand the availability of child care.

(i) Matching funds are subject to the obligation and liquidation requirements at § 98.60(d)(34).

[63 FR 39981, July 24, 1998, as amended at 72 FR 27979, May 18, 2007. Redesignated and amended at 81 FR 67588, 67590, Sept. 30, 2016; 89 FR 52397, June 24, 2024]