In this post you will find local news on the recent award of federal funds to support culturally responsive family child care, reflections on recent child care convenings, Build It Strong! book release, and articles about national efforts to approve sustainable funding for kids.
The Northeast Wisconsin Child Care Alliance is a network of partners working to make it easier for children ages birth to 5 and their families to get the high-quality, affordable early care and education (ECE) and family supports they need to thrive.
With this newsletter we aim to educate and inform our communities about the need to transform early care and education in ways that will bring about more equitable and lasting outcomes for children and families and to spark opportunities for action, alignment, and coordination.
This month you’ll find:
LOCAL NEWS:
- Northeast Wisconsin Child Care Alliance; the Alliance gets a brand refresh
- Federal appropriation supports Brown County United Way and Family & Childcare Resources of Northeast Wisconsin efforts to build and support culturally responsive family child care
- Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region the Loop features: From Door County to Appleton: Dual Convenings Address Wisconsin’s Child Care Crisis, by Caroline DesRosiers
- New book release: Build It Strong! How to make Your Child Care Business Thrive from Start-up to Retirement, by Paula Drew, Kelly Matthews and Amy Friedlander
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE & LEARN:
- Children’s Funding Project: Voters in Communities across the country approve funding for kids in recent election
- Prenatal-to-3 Policy Brief: Securing the Future, Examining Dedicated Sources of Funding for Child Care Subsidy Programs
Local News
You may have noticed we have a new name and logo! An awesome group of marketing volunteers from Thrivent provided strategic and creative guidance on logo and brand refresh. With their guidance we recognized our geographic identification of the Greater Fox Valley was better represented by a shift to Northeast Wisconsin Child Care Alliance. This minor adjustment more accurately reflects the broader reach of our partners and the work happening throughout the region. HUGE THANKS to Thrivent team members, Julie Lepsche, Madeleine Caceres, Julie Bloniarz and Mandy Nielsen. And special thanks to Adam Hilbelink at U.S. Venture for the amazing photography!
$450,000 Federal Grant Will Expand Access to Family-Based Child Care in Brown County
This funding supports the work of the Culturally Responsive Childcare Initiative, a partnership formed in 2021 by Brown County United Way and Family & Childcare Resources of Northeast Wisconsin to address the need for equitable childcare access and availability. Click here to learn more.
Congratulations to Alliance partners Paula Drew and Kelly Matthews for the successful publication of their new book, Build It Strong! How to Make Your Child Care Business Thrive from Start-up to Retirement.
Build It Strong! equips care providers with foundational knowledge, practical tested tools, and multiple resources needed to make informed financial decisions, ensuring the longevity and quality of programs. This call to action invites child care businesses to take strategic control of their operations and create a more sustainable future.
Hint! This (along with some treats or goodies) might make a great gift for your loved provider, pick up a copy here.
Carolyn DesRosiers, Community Engagement Director for the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region provides a snapshot of recent child care convenings held in Door County and in Appleton.
“We seem to value public investment in K-12 education as a societal benefit, so why don’t we view public investment in young children, who are at a critical stage of brain development, the same way?” Carolyn DesRosiers
Learn More About the Recent Convenings
Opportunities to Engage & Learn
Communities throughout the region are working to build broad coalitions, determine child care and community need, and explore the potential for sustainable funding models. Innovative mechanisms around the country are starting to deliver on the promise of sustainable financing that supports children’s initiatives. We’re featuring the Children’s Funding Project update on voter outcomes for local community efforts and a Prenatal-to-3 policy analysis of recently created state level dedicated funding streams supporting ECE.
Children’s Funding Project Prenatal-to-3 Policy
Happy Holidays!
Thank you for your engagement and support of our vision of a region where all children birth to 5 are thriving because they can equitably access high quality, affordable, culturally responsive early care and education that justly compensates providers.
