From Launch to Longevity: Rethinking Support for Child Care Businesses
By Raelyn Duening
At First Children’s Finance, our National Team spends each day working at the intersection of
policy, practice, and the real-world experiences of child care businesses. We step back to
look across communities and states, identifying what’s working-and where systems are
falling short. One challenge that continues to surface: While significant efforts and
investments go into launching new child care programs, far less attention is paid to what it
takes to keep doors open and businesses stable over time.
That gap is exactly what our recent report, Supporting the Critical Years After Launch, aims to
address. Drawing on insights from Oregon, the report combines rigorous analysis with the
lived experiences of providers navigating the early years of business ownership. Through
interviews, focus groups, and statewide data, our Systems Team examined what happens
after the ribbon cutting when start-up funding ends, enrollment is still growing, and providers
are working to build a sustainable operation.
What emerges is a clear and consistent message we see nationwide: The years following
launch are often the most vulnerable for child care businesses. Providers face financial
instability, workforce challenges, and complex regulatory environments — all while operating
within a business model defined by tight margins and high costs. Without continued support.
many programs never reach full stability. The result is closures that impact families,
communities, and the effectiveness of public investment in child care.
This report is part of FCF’s broader commitment to elevating what providers need not just to
open, but to thrive. As thought partners with states and communities, our National Teams
advance solutions that move beyond one-time investments toward a continuum of support.
The goal is to ensure that child care businesses have the resources, guidance, and capital
they need during the critical years that determine long-term success.
