First Children's Finance - Growth Fund
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Growth Fund
Investing in quality care models and systems
With clear business plans as the starting point, Growth Fund investments will help increase high quality child care and early education in lower-income communities.
Established in 2006 as a “venture philanthropy” fund, the First Children's Finance Growth Fund combines the funding with the expertise early care and education programs need to not only identify their most critical business challenges but to actually tackle them. 

The Growth Fund recognizes that quality care for children in their earliest years yields tremendous human, economic and social benefits—and reduces costs to individuals and communities later.  Every dollar invested in quality early childhood development produces a return on investment of 12% to 16%, with the greatest returns realized among children in low income families.  Communities need a stable and educated populace in order to thrive.  Yet, too many children enter kindergarten less than fully prepared for school.  Across the nation, roughly 70% of children age 5 or younger attend early education programs.  Reliable, quality care supports productive, healthy children and families and reduces employee absenteeism.

Growth Fund Project Description
The Growth Fund Project is designed to improve the quality, sustainability and accessibility of early care programs through equity-like investments (grants) in selected nonprofit centers over a period of three years. 

Growth Fund Project Participants - Class I
The five nonprofit centers selected to participate in Class I included a range of business models, program emphases, and stages of development to create and sustain access to high-quality care for lower income children.

Growth Fund Project Participants - Class II
The four nonprofit centers participating in Class II were selected in the spring of 2007 and completed their business plans in the late fall.