October, 2019 – Beginning in the fall of 2019 and continuing for up to 24 months, 5 rural Minnesota communities with a high need for additional child care programs will utilize the Rural Child Care Innovation Program (RCCIP).  These communities were chosen from a competitive field of applicants and will take a deep dive into the specific challenges of child care in their local area. First Children’s Finance (FCF) has created the Rural Child Care Innovation Program using community engagement through the lens of economic development to ascertain right-sized solutions that provide sustainable, high quality early care and education for our youngest Minnesotans.

 

The list of successful candidates for RCCIP FY20:

• Carlton County

• Meeker County

• Wadena County

• Warren, Minnesota

• Winona, Minnesota

 

The Rural Child Care Innovation Program helps communities understand the true needs of families, children, businesses, and child care providers, and the challenges around child care issues.  Communities are guided in developing solutions that address their unique community needs. Through the RCCIP process, communities are able to provide support to current child care businesses in their work to provide high quality early education and care for children. In addition, RCCIP communities are able to expand the availability of quality child care through creating innovative community partnerships that highlight child care as a critical community asset.

​

First Children’s Finance has brought this in depth work to 26 RCCIP communities since 2013. Eighteen communities held Town Hall meetings to learn about child care issues and allowed for the creation of 18 Community solution Action Plans that identify specific ideas to increase the supply of quality child care. First Children’s Finance has provided Child Care Business Leadership Cohort trainings in RCCIP communities to increase child care business knowledge and provide child care directors and family child care providers with tools that will sustain and support their child care operations.

Work with the RCCIP FY20 communities will provide the same types of community engagement and support that will lead to an increased supply of high quality child care in rural Minnesota.