National Programming
The FCF National Team partners with states, communities, and child care entrepreneurs located outside the footprint of our state offices. The FCF National team also serves Tribal Nations that have a government-to-government relationship with the United States. Since 2019, our National Staff has supported individual child care businesses, built a robust supply of child care in communities, and influenced systems to address business and finance supports for the child care industry. The team offers consultation, coaching, training, research and evaluation, and customized solutions to meet the needs of each client. Our National staff gain unique insight through our work that engages child care businesses, communities, and systems operating within diverse economic, geographic, and political environments.
The National Team is focused on supporting the child care industry by working on all levels of our Theory of Change through a variety of approaches.
Businesses benefit from our work providing education and support through trainings, workshops, webinars, cohorts, individual consultation, technical assistance, and lending capital.
Systems work includes research, consultation, and collaboration with states, municipalities, and Tribal Nations to inform policy, programming, and financing solutions.
Community engagement can include analysis of the supply of child care; strategic supply planning; guidance for public-private partnerships to build and maintain supply; and technical expertise on local policy and financial incentives.
Business and Community Projects
Child Care Business Training and Consultation: In 2023 and 2024, FCF has engaged more than 500 child care business leaders in Business Leadership Cohorts, trainings and individual consultation in Wisconsin, Montana and Oregon (states without FCF office locations at that time). For a list of states offering trainings see our Trainings page.
Child Care Supply
- worked with Wisconsin’s Department of Children and Families Project Growth: Dream Up! project to address child care supply and sustainability. 37 Communities engaged in FCF’s Strategic Child Care Supply Planning to create localized plans.
- A Core Team of community leaders in Bartholomew County, Jackson County and Jennings County, Indiana engaged with community members in conversation to learn about child care challenges and propose solutions to meet the region’s needs.
System Projects
- Recent Research: Minnesota Cost ModelFCF has developed Cost of Care Study methodology informed by child care business owners and administrators, using key business data to inform child care subsidy rates. Let us help your state agency think comprehensively about policies and funding that impact the sustainability of child care businesses.
- Recent Consulting: Recommendations to Maximize Alaska’s Federal Funding Allocated to Child Care SubsidyFCF consulted with the State of Alaska’s Child Care Program Office (CCPO) to support planning related to COVID-19 relief funding for their child care subsidy system. The consultation’s goal was to analyze relevant data to identify immediate and long-term interventions to stabilize current child care businesses and to help ensure the future of equitable access to high-quality child care for all Alaskans. FCF offered specific policy and process recommendations and associated implementation resources. FCF engaged with the CCPO to ensure the final report provided realistic, actionable recommendations aligned with the capacity of the CCPO.
Current Programs
- ECE Business Collaboratory for Tribal Nations: Designed to build the capacity of cross-sector Tribal leaders in thinking systemically about child care, the Collaboratory breaks down the silos around early learning and care programming and draws attention to the many sectors that impact child care business supply and sustainability, including economic development, workforce, and finance.
First Children First Nations Child Care Collaborative: Delivered in partnership with All Nations Rise, FCFN is a two-year planning and implementation process that builds the capacity of Tribes to identify the scope and size of their child care challenges and develop local solutions to address these challenges. The FCFN process engages and informs community members and Tribal leadership about the links among quality child care, economic
First Children’s Finance has a variety of programs to meet your needs. Every interaction with our staff is designed to increase your capacity to manage the financial operations of your program and to build a sustainable future for your business.
If you’re looking to start, improve or expand your business, we have a range of programs and services specifically designed for you.
