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Get started with tracking subsidies

[For Admins + Billing Only Role] Learn how to start tracking payments from subsidy agencies

Sabrina avatar
Written by Sabrina
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Most childcare providers receive subsidy payments from state, federal, and/or local agencies. With brightwheel, providers can simplify managing agency payments and quickly get an overview of agency invoices, balances, and payments.

With brightwheel, providers can:

  • Add Agencies as payers

  • Create bill plans for agencies or one-time charges

  • Log agency payments easily

  • Filter reports specifically for agency invoices and payments


Get started

Providers new to tracking Subsidy payments in brightwheel can follow the steps below to get set up quickly. Each step includes a link to additional resources if you’d like to learn more about the step.

Step 1: Add Agencies as payers

The first step is to add the agency to your brightwheel account and then list them as a payer on the relevant student profile(s) who are set to receive subsidies. You can learn more about adding additional agencies here.

  1. Log in on the web, then click Billing in the sidebar

  2. Select the Subsidies tab > Add agency

  3. After creating the agency, select Add students in the pop-up window to add the agency as a payer for students

Step 2: Create Agency billing plans

Next, you can set up billing plans for agencies if they have recurring charges. Visit create plans and charges to learn more about plans or to create non-recurring charges.

  1. Log in on the web, then click Billing in the sidebar

  2. Select the Subsidies tab, then click the agency

  3. Click the Students tab > Create plan next to the student

Step 3: Log Agency Payments

Once you receive payments from agencies, you can document them in brightwheel.

Please note, Agencies are not able to pay directly through brightwheel, but you can still track them in brightwheel. Review our resource Log subsidy payments for steps.

🎉 That's it! You're all set!

You’ve completed the Subsidy setup process! To explore more features in-depth, check out the Subsidy Tracking Help Center collection.


FAQs

How do Subsidy payments work?

There are multiple ways to create invoices and track subsidy payments depending on your program's needs.

Providers can create Billing plans if they are receiving consistent, regular subsidy payments. One-time charges can be used if subsidy payments don't occur on a consistent, regular basis.

Once providers receive payments from agencies outside of brightwheel, they can can log the subsidy payment in brightwheel and apply it to an invoice, or log the subsidy payment without a invoice if it must be logged quickly.

Can I report on Subsidy payments?

Providers can easily report on agency payments by filtering reports by Agency payers to view subsidy payments specifically.

If subsidized payments are based on student attendance, providers can create a report with guardian signatures to maintain compliance.

ℹ️ Visit Overview of Billing Reports for the different reports available.

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