About Us
For more than three decades, First Children’s Finance has helped strengthen the business side of child care. We understand that sustainable child care businesses are essential to families, communities, and local economies.
We work directly with child care entrepreneurs, partner with communities to grow local supply, and help systems create the conditions child care businesses need to succeed.
Founded in 1991, First Children’s Finance was built around a simple idea: child care providers are also business owners, and stronger businesses create stronger child care.
Today, we bring that business and financial expertise to partners across the country — from individual entrepreneurs to local communities and state and federal systems.
One Organization. Three Levels of Impact.
First Children’s Finance strengthens child care businesses, communities, and systems—while working at the intersection of all three.
Child Care Businesses
We help child care entrepreneurs start, manage, and grow financially sustainable businesses through support and access to capital.
Communities
We partner with communities to understand child care needs, develop local solutions, and increase child care supply.
Systems
We partner with states and systems leaders to strengthen business supports, align resources, and inform responsive policy and investment.
Our Theory of Change
Our Theory of Change is a visual map of how FCF addresses the need for child care business support and financing through a multi-level approach.
By strengthening individual businesses, building child care supply in communities, and improving the systems that support both, we work toward lasting change in child care.
Our approach focuses on removing barriers to access for families and communities facing the greatest challenges.
A comprehensive approach strengthens child care supply and expands access to quality care.
We work across the child care ecosystem to:
- Align and leverage resources to increase impact
- Address the business needs of child care to strengthen sustainability and supply
- Inform responsive policies and programs with data and business expertise
- Build public-private partnerships that bring resources and solutions together
- Advance sustainable funding that strengthens the business side of child care
Who We Are
FCF is a national nonprofit and Community Development Financial Institution focused on strengthening the business side of child care.
Our team brings expertise in child care, business, finance, community development, research, and systems work.
See Our Impact
Explore how our work with child care businesses, communities, and systems translates into real change.
Explore Success Stories
