October 2021 Monthly Update
MEMBERSHIP
We are pleased to welcome the following organizations as new NCFN members!
Charities Housing
Chicago Commons
Chicago Community Loan Fund
Family Child Care Association of San Francisco
First Five Years Fund
Five Season Sports & Recreation
Health Solutions
Homewise
Little Blessings Child Care
Low Angeles County Office of Education
MPW Consulting
National Wildlife Federation: Early Childhood Health Outdoors
YMCA of the East Bay
The full list of NCFN Members is available on the NCFN website.
RESEARCH & REPORTS
USDA/HHS Publish Joint Resource Guide on Rural Child Care Opportunities
A new joint resource from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) highlights best practices and funding opportunities for expanding access to high-quality, affordable child care in rural and tribal communities. The recording of a panel discussion of the guide moderated by NCFN Co-chair Nicole Barcliff is available here. Read the report >
Children’s Investment Fund Releases New Building Quality Report
NCFN Member Children’s Investment Fund released a new report, Building Quality: Transforming Early Learning Environments in Massachusetts. The report celebrates the achievements of the Building Quality Capital Fund, which has invested in dozens of child care facilities in Massachusetts since 2013. CIF’s new report will drive much of our discussion at the October Member Update Meeting. Read the report >
Case Study Highlights Child Care in Mixed-Use Development
NCFN Member Build Up San Mateo County released a new case study in partnership with Greystar that features a mixed-use development with onsite child care in San Mateo. Christine Padilla, Director of Build Up San Mateo County, is quoted: “Child care co-located with housing, near jobs and transit benefits families and is a critical piece of infrastructure that allows families to thrive and create sustainable communities.” Read the report >
Report Highlights CDFI and CCR&R Partnerships to Increase the Supply of High-Quality Child Care
NCFN Co-chair LISC and Child Care Aware of America released a new report, Capitalizing on the Capabilities of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies & Community Development Financial Institutions to Stabilize and Increase the Supply of High-Quality Child Care. The report’s overview of the core functions and capabilities of CCR&Rs and CDFIs helps make the case that such organizations partner and be involved in state and local spending of Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) resources and other federally provided child care support programs. Read the article >
Two New BPC Resources Emphasize Child Care Supply and Facilities Challenges
The Bipartisan Policy Center produced a brief video on the importance of investing in child care facilities improvements to support healthy child development. The video complements findings from BPC and Morning Consult’s recent survey of parents in rural communities regarding child care preferences and access. The survey results, released via webinar, suggest evidence of gaps in the supply of child care facilities in rural America significantly more pronounced than those in urban and suburban communities. Watch the video on child care facilities > Read the rural child care survey findings >
POLICY UPDATE
Congress Averts Government Shutdown Until December 3, Works to Extend the Nation’s Debt Limit
President Biden signed a stopgap funding measure to avert a government shutdown after fiscal year (FY) 2021 funding expired on September 30. Passed by a vote of 254-175 in the House and 65-35 in the Senate, the Continuing Resolution (CR) funds the government through December 3. Congress has nine weeks to reach agreement on spending levels and negotiate a dozen FY 2022 appropriations bills. The House passed nine of its 12 spending bills in July; the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved three bills but has not reached agreement on the overall subcommittee allocations.
The House of Representatives also voted to approve a $480 billion debt ceiling increase on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to extend the nation's debt limit through December 3. The short-term extension is now cleared for President Joe Biden's signature. Like the CR, the debt ceiling increase is largely a short-term solution ensuring that the Treasury Department is able to meet its financial obligations.
Child Care Facilities Advocacy Remains Urgent as Democrats Deadlock on Budget Reconciliation
Earlier this year, Congress approved a sweeping budget resolution that authorizes $3.5 trillion of new expenditures, including most of the Biden Administration’s economic and care agenda. Passage will be through the budget reconciliation process, which allows Democrats to pass this high-priority fiscal legislation through the budget reconciliation process, avoiding the threat of a Republican filibuster in the Senate. Last month, House Committees advanced budget reconciliation bills that totaled $3.5 trillion – find more information in NCFN’s fact sheet. However, moderate Democrats are fighting to reduce the overall size of the reconciliation package. The White House is attempting to break a deadlock among moderate and progressive Democrats that has stalled progress on consideration of the reconciliation package. It is unclear when a final vote will take place or how disputed issues will be resolved.
Advocacy in support of child care facilities remains urgent as Congress considers sizable cuts to key elements of the budget reconciliation package. NCFN and partners continue to advocate for standalone investments in child care facility infrastructure as an essential element of the package. We are specifically urging Congress to look to the example provided by the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA), which passed $15 billion for child care facility infrastructure grants as part of its Build Back Better bill. These grants can be used for acquisition, construction and renovation of child care facilities, and are accompanied with critical technical assistance and capacity building support from experienced intermediaries. This provision is based on legislation led by Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (D-MA). Take action in support of child care facilities by:
Sharing NCFN’s Take Action resources with partners
Raising your voice on social media using #BuildUpChildCare
NEWS & RESOURCES
Member News
Build Up California hosted five events through its Roundtable Series on Early Care and Education Facilities Greater Los Angeles Areas. Watch the recordings >
CEI published an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review on how supporting owners of child care businesses can help with broader community development and revitalization goals. Read the article >
First Children’s Finance participated in a webinar hosted by the FDIC and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Learn more >
Reinvestment Fund graduated its first cohort of 15 financial professionals from Train the Trainer, a program designed to support business capacity and operations among child care operators. Read the article >
LIIF, Enterprise, and Craft3 presented on a Western region ECE facilities panel co-hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). View slides from the event > Review resources and materials shared with participants >
Other News
Treasury Department: Treasury Releases Report Showing U.S. Childcare System Overburdens Families and Causes Shortages Due to Inadequate Supply. Read the report >
Politico: Battle over Biden’s massive child-care bill takes new turn with virus. Read the article >
New York Times: How Other Nations Pay for Child Care. The U.S. is an Outlier. Read the article >
UPCOMING EVENTS
National Association of Counties: Growing County Economies with Stronger Child Care Systems
October 19 | 2:00-3:15 PM ET
Register here >
IFF: Marygrove and Beyond – How Facilities Matter to Early Ed
November 8 | 12:00 – 1:30 PM ET
Register here >