FCF Announces Wisconsin Partnership

First Children’s Finance and Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Establish Partnership to Build Child Care Supply

First Children’s Finance, a national leader in child care business development and financing, along with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families have announced a partnership to launch the Project Growth: Dream Up! grant program. This initiative will aid in the growth and expansion of exceptional child care across the state.

As a Dream Up! partner, First Children’s Finance will assist communities to identify the scope and size of their child care challenges and empower them to develop local solutions that increase child care supply.

First Children’s Finance will engage 30 communities throughout Wisconsin to address their child care gaps and help them develop plans to create a sustainable supply of child care. Communities that are successfully selected by a competitive process will receive strategic planning assistance, customized consultation, and implementation grants to kickstart innovative child care solutions.

“Across the country, we find that healthy, vibrant communities all have one thing in common: excellent options for local child care,” said Heidi Hagel Braid, Chief Program Officer of First Children’s Finance. “We’re excited to partner with communities across Wisconsin to increase the amount of child care available to children, parents, and employers.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with WI DCF to support communities throughout Wisconsin,” said Jerry Cutts, President and CEO of First Children’s Finance. “We are bringing the full capacity of our organization to support communities as they examine their own child care needs and then develop innovative plans to sustain and expand child care in their area. We are ready to get to work!”

First Children’s Finance is happy to join a long list of current collaborators that include Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA), KW2, WI Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and The Leadership Council on Early Years, among many others.

Questions regarding the Dream Up! partnership can contact Molly Sullivan, Director of National Initiatives.