Vermont Business Magazine First Children’s Finance hosted Vermont’s child care business leaders, community partners, and advocates at Camp Meade on September 30 for the Planning for the Future of Child Care Symposium. The event highlighted the progress of the Child Care Accessibility Initiative and recognized providers who are planning for growth and long-term sustainability.
The Initiative, funded by Let’s Grow Kids and supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provided targeted business planning support and planning grants to 72 child care programs. Through this work, participants developed new business models, explored expansion projects, and strengthened the financial foundations of their programs — all steps toward building a stronger, more sustainable early childhood system.
Across Vermont, 54 business planning cohort members and 21 planning grantees are working to keep child care programs open and create more spaces for families. Every child care slot matters because it provides stability for families, healthy development for children, and the ability for parents to stay in the workforce. Providers supported by the Initiative are introducing solutions that make a real difference for communities statewide.
“What you have done in Vermont and what you continue to build is incredible and unprecedented,” said Heidi Hagel-Braid, President and CEO of First Children’s Finance (national organization). “People in Vermont want to start child care businesses, and they are thinking about those businesses completely differently than they did three years ago. We are talking about the value of businesses, preserving slots, and finding the transition of ownership, and that is incredible.”
Over the past two years, the initiative has supported a diverse group of providers. The results include new facilities, expanded classrooms, and increased capacity to serve families across multiple Vermont communities.
“I did the business planning cohort, which was fabulous and gave me the support I needed to move forward,” said Chelsea Chase, owner of Perkinsville Preschool and Child Care LLC. “The work is never done, but be persistent, don’t take no for an answer, and keep those doors open.”
Participants and partners shared that Vermont’s child care sector is beginning to see signs of progress statewide:
- More programs are opening than closing.
- Providers report wage increases and improved stability.
- More families are receiving tuition assistance through Act 76.
“If we want to keep these planning projects going and help providers build for the future, investment must continue,” said Erin Roche, Director of First Children’s Finance Vermont. “That’s my challenge for communities and partners across the state.”
Vermont’s progress reflects collaboration across multiple organizations: Vermont Association for the Education of Young Children leads on workforce development, First Children’s Finance supports business sustainability, and Building Bright Futures provides data and policy guidance. Together, they are shaping a system where child care is recognized as critical infrastructure for Vermont’s economy and communities.
“Every project represents not just a business plan, but a commitment to families and communities,” said Sherry Carlson, Chief Programs Officer of Let’s Grow Kids. “We’re seeing what’s possible when programs have access to the right tools and partners.”
About First Children’s Finance
First Children’s Finance (FCF) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the supply and sustainability of high-quality child care in rural, urban, and Tribal communities. FCF Vermont provides business training, technical assistance, and financial tools for child care entrepreneurs and community partners working to strengthen Vermont’s child care system. Learn more at www.firstchildrensfinance.org/vermont.
Vergennes, VT www.firstchildrensfinance.org
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