BISMARCK Fifteen area child-care centers have been awarded grants from the North Dakota Daycare Grant program through the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

Grant recipients are:

Magic City Daycare, Minot, business plan, $10,000.

Kathy Bushnell, Minot, fence installation, $2,029.

Montessori of Minot, business plan, $900.

Cozy Corner Daycare, Stanley, egress windows, $3,100.

Dawn's Daycare, Surrey, egress windows, $3,825.

Busy Bees Daycare, Towner, egress windows, $2,336.

Christina Keller, Towner, fence instsallation, $1,656.

Tiny Tot Daycare, Towner, fence installation, $2,908.

Mindy Stier, Rugby, egress windows, $1,481.

Little Hopper's Daycare, Max, egress windows and fence installation, $1,639.

Kids Count Day Care, Anamoose, fence installation, $1,326.

The 2009 Legislature approved funding to create the grant programs. The first round of grants was designed to relieve unmet demand for quality daycare options and focused on the priorities of technical assistance, business planning and equipment, especially for safety or special-needs children.

The department awarded $262,000 in grants ranging from $750 to $5,000 for infrastructure and $10,000 in grants for business planning to support creation of 262 new child-care openings by 96 providers statewide. One dollar in matching funds is required for every $3 in grant funds.

The department will accept applications for a second round of grants in February. March 1 is the deadline. Approximately $240,000 will be available for the second round.

The North Dakota Development Fund also recently approved the first loan under its new day care loan program, which provides up to $100,000 in low-interest loans to day cares to acquire, lease, or remodel real estate, to purchase equipment or for working capital.

The Child Care Loan Program has $1.25 million available on a first come first served basis until June 30, 2011. Applications are available at (www.business.nd.gov) by clicking on "forms" and choosing development funds. People also can contact the North Dakota Development Fund at 328-5310.

Both programs are available to all licensed profit, nonprofit and public child care facilities.