First Children's Finance

Financial assistanceas a certified community development financial institution (cdfi), First Children's Finance is committed to serving the unique needs of family child care and child care centers. We provide flexible, trustworthy financing that meets the needs of child care businesses who may not be able to access capital elsewhere. All our loans are paired with technical assistance specific to child care businesses needs. We lend in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, north dakota, south dakota, Texas, and wisconsin.in 2023, First Children's Finance, fcf's loan fund funded $1.46m in loans to child care businesses, contributing to their growth and success. This work has led to national recognition including receiving a mackenzie scott foundation award for $5m to build organizational capacity to support fcf in reaching its 2030 vision.

Technical assistancecomprehensive business services to child care entrepreneurs: First Children's Finance provides comprehensive business development services to child care businesses. First Children's Finance's staff provides training, one-on-one consultation to eligible child care owners and operators through all stages of the business life cycle, including start-up, crisis management, growth or expansion, and succession planning. Fcf also provides limited grant programs, in collaboration with state governments, providing non-recourse capital for child care programs to make facility improvements. Fcf's business-focused services are designed to build the capacity of child care entrepreneurs many of whom are women to create sustainable businesses that are positioned to serve low and moderate-income children.community consultation: First Children's Finance provides consultation to communities of all types to increase the supply of sustainable child care that meets families' needs for excellent care. Communities are uniquely positioned to leverage assets that impact the sustainability of existing child care businesses and to subsidize the supply of child care slots needed for a robust local economy and healthy community. Fcf provides customized consultation, training, and technical assistance to communities across the country. Child care systems programs and services: First Children's Finance partners with state and federal systems to improve the sustainability of child care businesses. Child care is an essential public good that is largely delivered outside of the public infrastructure. The current "non-system" fails to address the business and Finance needs of child care businesses. Fcf connects child care business needs with systems-level solutions. Fcf assists state, tribal, and federal agencies to plan comprehensively for policies and funding that impact the sustainability of child care businesses.in 2023, First Children's Finance facilitated 264 hours of business leadership cohorts, offering invaluable guidance to emerging leaders. Additionally, our team provided 6,903 hours of one-on-one business consultation, ensuring personalized support for entrepreneurs. Fcf also dedicated 1,437 hours to offering technical assistance to child care entrepreneurs and communities, and an additional 781 hours of loan fund technical assistance. Additionally, fcf conducted 55 community consultation projects across four states, hosted 15 states for the ece business collaboratory convening, and distributed $9,832,993.86 in facility revitalization grants in Minnesota.