Ladder ACCESS Program

Access to Child Care Excellence, Services, and Support

PROGRAM SUMMARY
The Ladder ACCESS Program is an initiative for ladder faculty designed to help professors meet their family care-giving needs while succeeding throughout their academic careers. It makes awards (ranging from $5,000 to $20,000) available to parents of children under the age of 6. The amount of the award depends on household income and claimed child care expenses are reimbursed three times a year. The program is administered through Harvard University’s Office of Work/Life.

Harvard offers separate child care scholarship programs for different employee groups. This program, developed for ladder faculty at Harvard applies to: Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, Professors, University Professors, Professors of Practice, Benjamin Peirce Lecturers, and Convertible Instructors.

The next application cycle for the Ladder ACCESS child care scholarship will be available online via PeopleSoft January 15 through February 6, 2013 for currently employed tenured and tenure-track faculty. Look for an announcement email from Senior Vice Provost, Judy Singer.

The Ladder Access program is a childcare scholarship program open to faculty who:

• Are ladder faculty – assistant, associate, and full professors, convertible instructors, Benjamin Peirce Lecturers, and Professors in Practice and Adjunct faculty (GSD only) are eligible for the ACCESS program, and
• Have at least one child under the age of 6 in childcare (born on or after July 1, 2006), and
• Are on a regular Harvard payroll, and
• Have an adjusted gross household income of less than $175,000.

Further eligibility requirements and answers to common questions can be found in the Ladder ACCESS FAQ: Rules & Eligibility Guidelines.

The program uses a sliding scale based on family income to determine awards ($5,000 to $20,000). The application therefore asks you for information on your family’s anticipated income from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013 (Harvard's fiscal year). Before you begin the application, you may want to assemble the following documents for your reference. You will also be asked to submit copies of these documents after you complete the online application. Paperwork will be accepted by mail only and must be postmarked by 5pm, Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

• Copies of spouse/partner paystubs from their two most recent pay periods, if married or partnered.
• Paystubs/documentation or estimations of income from any other paid work you or your spouse/partner will do from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. This includes speaker's honoraria, royalties, etc.
• Completed, signed copies of your 2011 federal income tax return (form 1040 or 1040A) (front and back - pages 1 and 2); OR, if your financial documents originate in a country other than the U.S., comparable documentation to demonstrate income. See here for example.
• If you or your spouse/partner had any non-salary income (e.g., honoraria, royalties), or if your spouse is self-employed, a copy of IRS Schedule C from the 2011 1040 form and/or if you have a non-zero entry on line 12 of the 1040 you will need to submit this additional tax form. See here for an example.
• If your spouse/partner is working but not paid, an affidavit of unpaid employment from the employer.
• If your spouse/partner is a student, verification of student status from his/her school’s registrar.

The application is online via PeopleSoft (you will need your HUID and PIN). Applying for the ACCESS program using the link below is simple:

• Please review the FAQ: Rules & Eligibility Guidelines before you begin applying.
• Once you have reviewed this, you can access the application by going to the ‘Self Service’ section of PeopleSoft and clicking on "Childcare Scholarship App" link (see link below).
• Assemble the necessary documents and paperwork.
• Complete the online application and hit the 'submit' button (due by 11:59pm Wednesday, February 6, 2013).
• Submit supporting documents. Print the document checklist found within the application as your cover sheet - remember this is sensitive and confidential information, so only send via certified mail (due or postmarked by 5pm Wednesday, February 6, 2013).
• Receive award notification and instructions for claiming funds.

APPLY NOW! through PeopleSoft (go to Self-Service -> Childcare Scholarship App)

If you have more questions, please see the FAQs contained within the FAQ: Rules & Eligibility Guidelines. You will find answers to question such as: Am I eligible? How much can I expect to receive? When can I expect to receive funds? What if my spouse/partner is unemployed? And much more.

The program is administered by the Office of Work/Life; feel free to email childcare_scholarships@harvard.edu or call 617-495-5933 with any questions.