First Children's Finance

March 2025

Welcome!

So far 2025 has been a year of change—sometimes unexpected, always fast-moving—but with change comes opportunity. While challenges arise, so do innovation, resilience, and new solutions.

In this newsletter, we’re celebrating the creative solutions that are making a difference—providers and communities finding new ways to succeed, a state office marking 2 years of impactful support, and the launch of FCF’s first-ever Annual Report!

No matter how the world changes, one thing remains true: Children deserve the best care, and the people who make that possible are nothing short of extraordinary. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future—one where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

News

National Consulting Team Wraps Up 2-Year Project Assisting State of Wisconsin with Dream Up! Program

In 2022, the First Children’s Finance National Consulting Team began working with the state of Wisconsin as part of the Project Growth initiative known as “Dream Up!.” Through an application process, 37 communities were chosen to participate in the Strategic Supply Planning Process, including eight hours of community facilitation around child care needs. Upon completion, each community received $75,000 to assist in their plans.

FCF conducted a supply-demand gap Analysis for all 37 communities at the conclusion of the project utilizing FCF-specific methods and compared it to each community’s initial findings. Results showed an increase of more than 116 Licensed Family Child Care Centers, 55 Licensed Child Care Centers, and 23 Certified Family Child Care providers.

READ THE SAUK PRAIRIE AREA SUCCESS STORY BELOW!

This increase resulted in 3,886 additional child care slots in the 37 communities that participated in the process. Additionally, four statewide community webinars were held that provided the opportunity for communities to network with one another and resources to address the supply and sustainability of child care in communities.

The engagement with the state of Wisconsin and the Dream Up! program is just one example of the work that FCF’s National Consulting team can do to support states, communities, and child care providers. For more information about how FCF might be able to help in your state or community, contact infonational@firstchildrensfinance.org.

Read the Full Story and Project Report!

Sauk Prairie (WI) Area Building $5.2M Child Care Center through Innovative Public/Private Partnership

Tywana German, Executive Director of the Sauk Prairie (WI) Area Chamber of Commerce, is straightforward about the impact the Sauk Prairie Early Learning Center will have on the communities she supports.

“I’ve been working 34 years, and this project – and the journey with First Children’s Finance and the State of Wisconsin – is by far the most memorable, impactful project I have ever done.”

For the past 8-10 years, the Sauk Prairie area (consisting of three communities) struggled with adequate housing, German said. Building and land costs were making it difficult for people to afford housing. To gather complex data, the Area Chamber of Commerce surveyed community members to determine the most significant stressors on daily living.

“Surprisingly, child care was No. 1 – far out front of housing needs.”

After receiving a grant through the State of Wisconsin’s Dream Up! program and working with First Children’s Finance, the area’s dream is almost a reality.

“We are building a 16,000-square-foot licensed for 168 children ages infant through 5 that will open in September 2025,” German said. “It is being built on land that was an existing park, and 48 businesses and individuals funded the entire $5.2 million cost.”

FCF's 2024 Annual Report Offers

an Overview of Our Work

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 high-level financial information along with organizational metrics.
They engage our audience by giving a closer, organized look at our work and our people.

We hope you find our Annual Report interesting and engaging!

Read the 2024 Annual Report Here!

Storm Lake, IA, Works with FCF Staff to Create

a Vision for the City's Child Care Future

Storm Lake, Iowa, leaders knew the growing City lacked enough child care. The City had been identified as being in a “child care desert,” meaning there were more than three children under five in the community for every available child care slot.

“We’re a growing, diverse community with great things going on,” said Lee Dutfield, Development Services Specialist for the City of Storm Lake. “We have large employers, multiple higher education institutions, and a regional medical center. But we knew we had a shortage of child care providers.”

The pandemic halted studying the City’s child care needs, but then Dutfield met First Children’s Finance Iowa Business Development Manager Angie Rae Duncan at a conference.

Duncan and Dutfield discussed services that FCF offered and how a Child Care Market Analysis combined with community feedback/input sessions might help the community. In 2023, the City received a Rural Child Care Market Study grant through the State of Iowa’s Economic Development Authority.

Now, the City has purchased land to attract a child care center developer and has a plan for the future.

Read How Storm Lake Is Planning for Its Child Care Future

For more information about the services offered by First Children’s Finance Iowa, email infoIowa@firstchildrensfinance.org.

JP Morgan Chase Foundation Awards $500,000 to FCF for Training, Programming in Detroit Area

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 the grant requirements, FCF staff will provide business development resources and educational programs to strengthen and grow child care businesses in Detroit. Through hands-on workshops, consulting, and financial tools, the program will help providers improve operations, maximize enrollment, and expand capacity.

Data collection and analysis will identify industry trends and sustainability challenges, guiding strategic solutions. A public report will share insights and best practices to support the broader childcare ecosystem. This initiative aims to enhance business stability and increase access to quality child care for Detroit families by equipping providers with essential skills and resources.

Minneapolis Child Care Center Owner Wants

to Make a Difference:

'It's My Passion'

Said Nur understood the challenges faced by families new to the United States. Many of the challenges are the same ones that he faced nearly 30 years ago.

“When I came here, I didn’t speak English. I had no family here. It was difficult. But I knew that I wanted to make a difference and give back to the community that had helped me.”

Fast forward several decades, and Nur is making a difference in the lives of families – particularly Hispanic, Somali, and Afghan – and in his Minneapolis, MN, community through his center, Alphabet Child Care.

Read How Said Nur Is Helping His Community!

FCF National Systems Team Partners to Study Effects of American Rescue Plan Act on Child Care Facilities Nationwide

Throughout 2024, members of the National Systems team partnered with the National Children’s Facilities Network to tell the story of how the American Rescue Plan Act impacted child care facilities. The team connected with public and nonprofit leaders nationwide, surveyed state officials, and pored through federal reporting databases to map how states, Tribes, and localities invested ARPA dollars into child care centers and homes.

The resulting report documents important innovations that made large-scale, effective facility funding possible across many states. From better data and technology, comprehensive technical assistance, and new ways to surmount regulatory barriers, states and their partners built a new roadmap for what impactful, sustained facilities investments can look like.

First Children’s Finance President and CEO Heidi Hagel Braid recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to share and discuss these findings with the Early Childhood Facilities Working Group, a collaborative effort of child care think tanks, philanthropy and CDFIs.

“We hope this report inspires policymakers at all levels of government,” Hagel Braid said. “There is not just one approach to building up our child care infrastructure, but as this report demonstrates, many states and organizations have developed fair, accountable, and high-impact models for facility investment at any scale.”

Read the Full Report Here!

FCF's Vermont Office Celebrates Second Anniversary!

First Children’s Finance Vermont just celebrated its second anniversary. As both a new division of FCF and a new organization in Vermont, FCF VT has established itself through the team's dedication and expertise and our innovative initiatives to engage communities and clients.

In the Vermont office’s first two years:

12 child care entrepreneurs wrote business plans as part of the Business Planning Cohort
15 potential capital facility projects received planning grants, including this one in Pittsford, Vermont, population 2,884
91 startup or expansion projects received $2,500,000 (so far), resulting in more than 750 new spaces (and counting)
254 people follow the Facebook account for FAQ Fridays, contests, and success stories
1,000+ members are part of SharedServicesVT, a platform for national and local child care resources
1,750 people subscribe to our mailing list, where our newsletter features a riddle of the month
Half of 1,000 regulated child care businesses in Vermont engaged with us through trainings, workshops, emails, conferences, financial analysis, and phone calls.

We’d like to think these accomplishments resulted from the staff's hard work, but public investment through Act 76 (enacted June 2023) has made so much of our achievements possible. Act 76 increased state financial assistance funding and eligibility so child care business owners have reason to be optimistic and families may be able to find and afford child care that meets their needs.