The Child Care WAGE$® Program is offered throughout North Carolina as a funding collaboration between local Smart Start partnerships and the Division of Child Development and Early Education. Thank you! More than half of North Carolina’s counties currently participate and, on behalf of recipients, WAGE$ thanks the partnerships who support the workforce through this program.


How to Participate
Counties that use Smart Start funding to support the Child Care WAGE$® Program can join at any time and we welcome questions from those interested. Please contact WAGE$ to learn how your Smart Start partnership can participate.
Additional Information for Funders

- Child Care WAGE$® Program: An Evidence-Informed Initiative
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: NC Smart Start Contract Activity Description
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: NC Fact Sheet (haga clic aquí para hoja de hechos en Español)
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: NC Salary Supplement Levels
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: NC Statewide Logic Model
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: Busting the Myths, Volume 1
- Child Care WAGE$® Program: Busting the Myths, Volume 2
The T.E.A.C.H Early Childhood® National Center has released this very helpful fact sheet about compensation: Better Compensation: The Key to an Educated and Committed Early Childhood Workforce
Have WAGE$ questions? We can help!
We are available by phone Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. When calling please reference WAGE$. If you are a current participant please also mention the county in which you work. You can also send us a message online.