JPMorgan Chase Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to First Children’s Finance to support Childcare Sector Scale & Technical Assistance Programming in the Detroit, MI, area. The grant continues through October 2027. The grant aims to enable child care businesses to serve more children and achieve financial sustainability, improving Detroit’s small business ecosystem and economy. To fulfill … Continued
We are pleased to share First Children’s Finance’s 2024 Annual Report – the first in our organization’s history! Annual reports are important to nonprofits for several reasons: They offer a showcase for important work being done by the organization and also share inspiring stories about some of those we serve. They show transparency by sharing … Continued
In 2022, First Children’s Finance (FCF) partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families to support Project Growth’s Dream Up! Child Care Supply Building Grant program to support and expand the supply of child care throughout the state. Through this program, FCF worked with communities using a collaborative community-led approach to evaluate, plan, sustain … Continued
An important part of hard work is celebrating success when the work is done or nearing the finish line. On September 25, First Children’s Finance spent a day celebrating with communities that had successfully found solutions to child care and staffing issues through the help of the Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP)), Child Care … Continued
First Children’s Finance VT (FCF) is pleased to announce the first recipients of the Vermont Planning Grant Project, a program designed to expand child care capacity across the state. Among the awardees is Craftsbury Saplings, which received a $50,000 grant to plan a new child care facility in Craftsbury, Vermont. These grants are part of … Continued
When three of the four family child care providers in the Floodwood, MN, area closed down within a year, the community was in trouble. The town of 500 people one hour west of Duluth needed a solution. It had become a child care desert – a place where the number of child care slots in … Continued
[Minneapolis, MN] – First Children’s Finance (FCF) is proud to announce the appointment of Heidi Hagel-Braid as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Heidi is only the second CEO in the nonprofit’s 33-year history, succeeding founder Jerry Cutts, who retired in September 2024. This appointment follows an extensive nationwide search led by the Cohen … Continued
After starting an in-home child care business in 2015, Yolanda Massey knew that she had to find a way to serve even more children. She loved caring for children from different backgrounds and diverse ethnicities. She would take the children on walks through the neighborhood to visit parks and playgrounds. She taught them phonics, colors, … Continued
Kim Jarvis always wanted to make a positive impact on kids in her Dayton, OH, community but starting a child care center wasn’t on her mind. After starting her own center, though, she had big plans for more space but needed a plan. FCF’s MIchigan Team was able to help her create a financial plan … Continued
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of the difficulties already present in the State of Alaska’s child care systems. the State of Alaska engaged First Children’s Finance to consult with the state’s Child Care Program Office (CCPO) to support its planning around COVID-19 related relief funding for the child care subsidy system. With the help of … Continued
Data shows Tribal Nations are experiencing a child care crisis impacting the health and success of all aspects of Tribal Nations. According to a recent study, 77% of unemployed Native American households reported a lack of child care influenced their decision not to work. First Children’s Finance (FCF) believes an intervention is needed in which … Continued
FCF Founder Jerry Cutts to Retire as President and CEO First Children’s Finance President and CEO Jerry Cutts – who has been on personal leave since April 2024 – has announced he is retiring after 33 years. Since Jerry founded FCF in 1991, his work and commitment have changed and improved countless lives. Jerry has … Continued
Act 76 Creates a Brighter Future for Child Care in Vermont In 2023, just months after First Children’s Finance established its Vermont office, Vermont passed Act 76, which makes a significant investment in Vermont’s child care system by supporting providers and families. First Children’s Finance’s work has been instrumental in helping child care businesses navigate … Continued
FCF Loan Fund Helps Michigan Center Open its Doors Alexus Yancey-Duncan was preparing to open the doors on her child care center in Warren, MI, when a 6-month delay with City approval for fencing on the property put things on hold. Read how the FCF Loan Fund helped her with expenses and working capital until … Continued
We are pleased to announce that Round 7 of the Minnesota Revitalization Grant opens at 9:00 a.m. on Friday May 12, 2023, Provider Appreciation Day and closes on Friday May 19, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. 1,519 child care providers have been awarded $14,506,199 for the first 6 rounds. For the remainder of calendar year of … Continued
FCF -Michigan is pleased to announce the selection of communities into the second round of the Rural Child Care Innovation Program under the Caring for MI Future initiative. The Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP) is a community engagement process designed to address the challenges of child care in rural Michigan communities. First Children’s Finance … Continued
As a result of the Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP), Hormel Foods has started designing a new community child care center utilizing research and community planning processes lead by First Children’s Finance. Austin, Minnesota, is experiencing a shortage of approximately 531 full-time child care slots, impacting families’ abilities to live and work in southeastern … Continued
More than half of Americans struggle to find available and affordable childcare, but one small Minnesota town found a solution that might be a blueprint for other cities. We’ve been partnering with rural communities to create innovative solutions to build and sustain rural child care supply in MN and MI. Check it out! Rural Child … Continued
In September, First Children’s Finance hosted an in-person convening of the ECE Business Collaboratory. The Collaboratory brought together three cohorts of state teams for multiple days of presentations, connections to national thought leaders, and dedicated time to collaborate and share learnings regarding progress to support a systemic approach to addressing the business side of child … Continued
First Children’s Finance is partnering with native nations and tribal communities to address their shortages of child care. FCF partnered with Indigenous Visioning, a native-owned organization that empowers tribal communities, to create the First Children First Nations Child Care Collaborative (FCFN). FCFN is designed to empower tribal communities and native nations to increase the … Continued
First Children’s Finance is seeking applications for its Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP) in Michigan. 6 rural Michigan communities will be selected to participate in a community engagement process designed to address rural child care shortages. Applications will be accepted from October 14, 2022 – December 9, 2022. Child care is an economic driver … Continued
First Children’s Finance Announces new CFO for the thriving child care non-profit First Children’s Finance announced today that Vanessa Garcia has been named as the Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, Vanessa Garcia will provide leadership for all the financial activities of the organization. She will conduct tactical planning and will direct the … Continued
First Children’s Finance is proud to announce the addition of two new states to the ECE Business Collaboratory: Hawaii and Maine. The Collaboratory’s roster of states includes Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, D.C., along with our most recent additions to the programs, the states … Continued
FCF and Fond du Lac Band Discusses Child Care Needs In June and July 2022, First Children’s Finance spent multiple days with members of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa community discussing child care needs in the area. First Children’s Finance, with its partner, Indigenous Visioning, operate the First Children First Nations … Continued
As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, the Iowa Department of Human Services received $200 million to provide Child Care Stabilization Grants for qualified licensed centers and registered home providers to help sustain their businesses. Iowa/Jefferson/Keokuk Early Childhood Iowa (IJK ECI) Board of Directors was concerned many registered home child care providers in the … Continued
The First Children’s Finance Minnesota Team is pleased to announce the results from our first round of grants for the Facility Revitalization Grant Program. First Children’s Finance received 1,343 applications with more than $14.2 million of requests in the first application round. A total amount of $4,615,766.40 of grants were awarded to 513 applicants … Continued
First Children’s Finance is pleased to announce our new Child Care Facility Revitalization Grants program, made possible by funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Facility revitalization grants can used by Minnesota child care centers, family child care providers, certified child care centers, and legal unlicensed providers registered with CCAP to address facility improvements … Continued
As a result of the American Rescue Plan, Iowa received $200 million to provide Child Care Stabilization Grants to current licensed child care centers and registered child development home providers. These grants are to support qualified child care providers with operational costs, such as personnel, rent/mortgage, and equipment. As of January 10, 2022, Iowa Department … Continued
First Children’s Finance – Michigan Team is pleased to announce the selection of communities into the Rural Child Care Innovation Program. The Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP) is a community engagement process designed to address the challenges of child care in rural communities in Michigan. First Children’s Finance has chosen six new communities to participate in … Continued