EUGENE, Oregon — A new child care business training program led by Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, Quality Care Connections (QCC) and Lane Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in partnership with Onward Eugene, is creating new child care slots in Lane County, the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and Onward Eugene announced.
Like most other areas in Oregon, Lane County is considered a childcare underserved area, defined as a community with more than three children for every childcare slot it has. To eliminate this status, Lane County would need to add about 1,500 new childcare slots to its current supply.
The Early Child Care Business Accelerator is a four-month program focused on providing the skills and knowledge to open a registered or certified home-based child care business.
Quality Care Connections provides quality and safety training and licensing support for providers to obtain a license from the Department of Early Learning and Care. Licensed Registered Family providers can have up to 10 children in their homes, and Certified Family Providers can have up to 16 children in their homes, according to Onward Eugene. The SBDC provides business training and support so that early childhood educators have the skills needed to become successful small business owners.
Accelerator participants are assigned a licensed SBDC business advisor and graduates receive $5,000 to start their business, as well as additional ongoing services from QCC and the SBDC after the program.
“The decisions are still up to them, but we are here to guide them in the right direction so they can make smart business decisions,” said Jason Petorak, one of the course instructors at the Lane Small Business Development Center.
To date, partners have completed two program cohorts with 27 graduates, 14 new child care programs, and a projected 175 new child care slots across Lane County.
“Two additional cohorts are scheduled to launch this fall — one serving rural community members in Cottage Grove and Florence and one serving Spanish-speaking participants. Both are currently accepting applications,” said Cheryl Henderson, director of Child and Family Education at Lane Community College.
“We are excited to not only continue to reduce the number of new child care spaces needed throughout the community, but also support these new businesses and local job creation,” said Holly Mar-Conte, Child Care Sector Strategist at Onward Eugene.
This free program is made possible by funding and support from Lane Community College and several philanthropic foundations including: Chambers Family Foundation, JTMF Foundation, and Roundhouse Foundation. Onward Eugene is one of eight Oregon recipients awarded a “highly competitive” Strategic Innovation Grant from the Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board, through the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, to support the Early Child Care Business Accelerator program.
Both the City of Eugene and the City of Springfield are partnering to provide $5,000 in start-up grants to qualifying graduates in each city through their micro-small business grant programs.
“This program gives people the opportunity to build businesses and provide childcare services, which we desperately need,” said Springfield City Council member Kori Rodley.
Funding for the city grant program comes from federal Community Development Block Grant funds. These funds are used to improve local communities by providing housing, improving infrastructure, facilities and public services, and increasing economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents.
“For many families, access to child care is key to economic stability,” said Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis. “By investing in home-based child care businesses, we are not only meeting a critical need for working families, but we are also fostering local business and economic growth. This program benefits our community, and we are proud to support it.”
If you are interested in applying for one of the Early Child Care Business Accelerator fall cohorts, visit Quality Care Connections | Resources for the Community | Lane Community College (lanecc.edu) or call (541) 463-3954
