July 2026

Cara Ewing/Minneapolis Fed; Getty Images

Crisis Continues for Minnesota's Child Care Sector

Minnesota’s child care industry remains in crisis, 80 percent of child care providers said in a spring survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and First Children’s Finance.

While that’s a large share of providers, it’s less than the 86 percent who said the industry was in crisis a year ago.

Overall, the survey shows conditions in the industry, from financial stability to changing business models, are still getting worse for many providers. But, by many measures, the share of providers for whom conditions are worse has not changed much.



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Start Up North Accelerated for New and Aspiring Business Owners

Entrepreneurs with a great business idea often need more than inspiration—they need a clear plan, practical guidance, and the confidence to move forward. The North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering Start Up North Accelerated, an eight-week virtual cohort designed to help aspiring and early-stage business owners build a solid foundation for success.

Participants receive one-on-one guidance from North Central SBDC business consultants while developing key business planning skills, including financial projections, marketing strategies, startup planning, and a lender-ready business plan.

The cohort runs September 14 through November 4, with virtual action hour sessions held Mondays and Wednesdays at noon.

• $100 early bird rate through Aug 7

• $200 from Aug 8–31 (registration closes August 31).

Business Education Through SCORE

The wealth of content available when starting or growing a business can be overwhelming, especially as you deal with so many areas of development, from finance to marketing to legal and business formation issues. Here are some excellent resources to help alleviate the overwhelm.

• July 14 | Paying Yourself as a Business Owner: Build a Sustainable Owner’s Salary

• July 16 | SBA’s Made in America Initiative: Resources for Small Manufacturers

• July 23| SEO Has Seen Its Biggest Shift in 20 Years: How to Stay Visible in 2026

• July 28 | Get Your Business Lender-Ready: How to Improve Your Funding Readiness

• July 30 | One Person Empire: How to Build a Six-Figure Business in 2026