September 2020 NCFN Update
Membership
We are pleased to welcome the following organizations as new NCFN members!
Child Care Services Association
Economic Resources Corporation
First Five Nebraska
Please contact Bevin Parker-Cerkez (bevin.parker@reinvestment.com) for questions about becoming an NCFN member.
Resources
CDFA Hosts Webinar on Investing in Child Care Facilities
Last month the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) hosted a webinar titled “Investing in Child Care Facilities” as part of the CDFA // BNY Mellon Development Finance Webcast Series. The webinar discussed federal, state and local programs that support investment in quality child care facilities, including tax credits, revolving loan funds and 501(c)(3) bonds. A recording of the event is available here.
BPC Explores the Nuances of Defining Child Care Affordability
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) recently released a new piece, “Demystifying Child Care Affordability,” that explores the nuances in defining affordable child care. BPC states that the most commonly cited definition of affordability is that care should not exceed 7% of a household’s income, but that “this 7% benchmark was never meant to be an affordability metric for all families. Rather, it is a recommendation for how much a low-income, working family receiving a child care subsidy should pay as a co-payment for child care services.” However, when seeking to make child care more affordable for parents, it is impractical to assume providers can simply lower prices since they already operate on slim budgets. As a result, BPC suggests that “working to make child care more affordable must also include more public funding for child care providers.”
Policy Update
Negotiations on Federal Stimulus Package Remain Uncertain
Congress departed for August recess last month without reaching a deal to provide much-needed stimulus aid to the economy, and the outlook for negotiations this month remains unclear. The Senate and House return to session on September 8 and 15 respectively. In addition to contending with the public health and economic crises resulting from the pandemic, Congress must also pass legislation to fund the government before fiscal year (FY) 2020 funding expires on September 30. It is possible that Congress will attempt to reach an agreement this month that combines stimulus provisions and an extension of government funding, although disagreements on process and substance – as well as the looming November elections – may ultimately hinder a final deal.
Build Up CA Sends Letter to Governor Newsom on Environmental Health Threats Facing Family Child Care Providers
As California faces a convergence of various environmental health hazards – from the COVID-19 pandemic to the recent heatwave and devastating wildfires – Build Up CA sent a letter to Governor Newsom articulating the disproportionate impact on family child care providers.
In response to the pandemic, many small business owners invested in adapting their facilities for outdoor learning and care. Now, however, unhealthy air quality has forced many of them to bring children indoors all day long where they are unable to open windows or doors for ventilation because of the extremely poor air quality caused by smoke and ash. Further, many providers in California do not have air conditioning. In a field where entrepreneurs are just trying to survive on razor-thin profit margins, many do not have adequate space and means to acquire the proper equipment to ensure a healthy indoor environment.
Build Up CA offers three recommendations to state government:
Assign one dedicated liaison at the state level for public health issues related specifically to early care and education in our current environment;
Allocate funding to licensed programs for emergency upgrades, including the acquisition of equipment such as air conditioners, air filtration systems, fans, handwashing stations, and ice machines;
Designate cooling centers in at least one location per city or county affected by heatwaves for child care providers who can safely bring the children under their care to these facilities.
Build Up California is a statewide collaborative dedicated to sustaining, improving, and expanding early care and learning facilities. Contact Ericka Erickson (eerickson@liifund.org) for more information about Build Up CA.
Upcoming Events
September 15: Preserving Family Child Care Spaces: The Need for Facilities Infrastructure and Business Support
LIIF hosts a legislative briefing on the facilities and business needs of family child care providers in the time of COVID-19.
September 24: Child Care Facility Design with Louis Torelli
LIIF hosts a child care design session with Louis Torelli. Participants will learn the principles and strategies for creating high quality indoor and outdoor environments.
October 1: Investing in the Future of Child Care: Supporting Small Business Providers
LIIF and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco host a webinar on the operational challenges facing small business child care providers both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
November 9-12: 2020 OFN Conference
Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and other mission-driven finance stakeholders convene for a conference focused on Finance Justice.
Other
The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is seeking a National Program Officer, Child Care and Early Learning to join LISC’s national team. Contact Cindy Larson (clarson@lisc.org) for more information.