FIRST CHILDREN'S FINANCE GROUP

1. BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR CHILD CARE ENTREPRENEURSFCF PROVIDES TAILORED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO CHILD CARE ENTREPRENEURS AT EVERY STAGESTART-UP, STABILIZATION, GROWTH, AND SUCCESSION. OUR STAFF DELIVER ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTING, GROUP TRAINING, AND ACCESS TO FINANCING AND BUSINESS TOOLS THAT IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY AND QUALITY. IN FY2025, FCF SUPPORTED 3,367 CHILD CARE BUSINESSES, OFFERING 254 TRAININGS AND 53 COHORT-BASED PROGRAMS ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES. IN IOWA, 77 BUSINESS OWNERS COMPLETED OUR BUSINESS & FINANCIAL FUNDAMENTALS SERIES, WITH 84% REPORTING MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENT IN FINANCIAL AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. THESE EFFORTS STRENGTHEN SMALL BUSINESSES SERVING LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES.2. BUILDING LOCAL CHILD CARE CAPACITYFCF PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND STABILITY OF CHILD CARE THAT MEETS LOCAL WORKFORCE AND FAMILY NEEDS. THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN CONSULTATION, FINANCIAL MODELING, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, FCF SUPPORTED 122 COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE IN FY2025. OUR RURAL CHILD CARE INNOVATION PROGRAM AND RELATED INITIATIVES HELPED MORE THAN 45 COMMUNITIES CONDUCT SUPPLY-AND-DEMAND ANALYSES, IDENTIFY BARRIERS, AND IMPLEMENT LOCAL SOLUTIONSTURNING CHILD CARE DESERTS INTO SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS. THIS WORK DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE CREATION OR PRESERVATION OF 5,743 CHILD CARE SLOTS ACROSS INFANT, TODDLER, PRESCHOOL, AND SCHOOL-AGE PROGRAMS.3. STRENGTHENING THE CHILD CARE INFRASTRUCTUREFCF COLLABORATES WITH STATE, TRIBAL, AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND FUNDING STRATEGIES THAT IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF CHILD CARE BUSINESSES. IN FY2025, WE WORKED WITH 11 STATE OR SYSTEM PARTNERS AND MORE THAN A DOZEN TRIBAL NATIONS TO CONDUCT COST-OF-CARE STUDIES, ADVISE ON ARPA FUNDING, AND DEVELOP ACTIONABLE BUSINESS AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANS. FCF CONVENED THE FIRST TRIBAL NATIONS EARLY CHILDHOOD BUSINESS COLLABORATORY, BRINGING TOGETHER 10 TRIBAL NATIONS TO MAP CHILD CARE ECOSYSTEMS AND SET PRIORITIES FOR INVESTMENT.