Capacity Building
General Business and Organizational Needs
Support Available
To be successful in the early learning community you must make the best decisions to maintain a sustainable business. This includes decisions about licensing, marketing, choosing the correct business type, having a sound business plan, budgeting, understanding debt, determining when to expand or renovate, site design and health and safety. While some early childcare education businesses are formed through a comprehensive strategic/business plan, many come together organically based on an individual’s skillset and the needs of the surrounding community. Whether intentional or organic, both businesses need access to resources to help them manage and sustain a healthy small business.
Reinvestment Fund’s Coaching to Success: Building Together aims to provide those in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) industry with the resources needed to make the best financial decisions for their business. The goal is to help providers improve their business acumen and be better equipped to make the right financial decisions.
In this section you will find a variety resources that will help strengthen your organization from lending and grant opportunities, access to subject matter experts, credit improvement, free tax preparation, matching savings programs and many more.
Grant and Loan Opportunities
Grant
- Fund for Quality (FFQ)—Business planning support and facilities-related financing to support high-quality early care and education providers in Philadelphia with expanding their services to reach more low-income families.
- Child Care Facilities Fund (CCFF)—Provide support to high quality early childhood education providers located in Philadelphia for the maintenance and improvement of their facilities to maintain a high level STAR rating. The Fund also providers support to STAR 2 providers involved in quality improvement initiatives and meeting additional eligibility criteria.
- Amber Grant For Women—WomensNet gives away at least $10,000 every month in Amber Grant money.
Loan
- ECE Loan Fund—Flexible and low-interest loans to early childhood education providers in Philadelphia to maintain high-quality early learning environments.
- Reinvestment Fund—A national mission-driven financial institution that provides capital for transformative projects that revitalize communities so that residents can thrive.
Resources
- Childcare Map—A tool to help Philadelphians make decisions about childcare. Use it for research, planning, exploration and investment in expansion.
- Fiscal Hub—Resource for child care owners and directors improve their business management practices and financial operations through resources, technical assistance, and policy advancement.
- Group Cohorts Learning—Reinvestment Fund will provide technical assistance to groups of providers based on similar needs. Technical Assistance will include education around topic areas such as: computer literacy, budget forecasting, operational needs, business planning, Lending 101, and building relationships with Subject Matter Experts (i.e. bookkeeper, payroll, accountant, tax professional, etc.). More to come – please complete the survey if interested.
- Family Child Care Proforma (i.e. Sole Proprietor or Single Member LLC filing a Schedule C tax form) – COMING SOON
- Child Care Center Proforma (i.e. S-Corp filing tax form 1120S, Corporation filing tax form 1120 or a Non Profit filing tax form 990) – Download the excel spreadsheet
- Business Viability
- Strategies to stabilize your business
Partner Programs and Organizations
- Better Futures – Provides technical assistance and one-on-one guidance that raises the bar and targets the needs of three distinct stakeholders – children, staff and owners. Better Futures is a unique consulting firm, offering a diverse mix of technical experts, skilled financial professionals and seasoned practitioners that are intimately familiar with the field of early childhood and the critically important aspects of managing a business. The founders hold advanced degrees (Doctorate in Early Childhood Education and Master’s in Business Management) and possess over 65 years of combined experience.
- CRAFT by Better Futures – A web-based online training platform for ECE Associations (CRAFTP) and their members.
- Campaign For Working Families (CWF) – Helps Sole Proprietors and Single Member LLCs achieve economic empowerment by providing tax preparation, resource building and asset development. CWF facilitates increased financial stability and asset accumulation for families by connecting them to valuable tax credits, quality financial services, savings options, wealth building resources and public benefits. CWF services allow families to maximize federal and state tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Services are free.
Call 215-454-6483 or email contact@cwfphilly.org for more information. - Family Self-Sufficiency – The Compass Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) at the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is a program that enables both PHA Public Housing residents and Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) holders to increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on welfare assistance. Participants identify personal goals such as employment, completing school, homeownership or starting a business. Once enrolled, PHA establishes an FSS Savings Account that grows as participants increase their earned income. During the program participants receive access to financial coaching and case management services designed to help them reach their goals.
Call 267-546-1153 or visit us at www.clarifi.org/fss.
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