Kathy Oren
The Community Education Coalition (CEC) has been awarded nearly $40,000 for its plans to pilot a coaching and accelerator program for child care providers in the Columbus area.
The Duke Energy Foundation and the Indiana Economic Development Association (IEDA) Foundation have announced five “child care innovation” grants totaling $115,000 for organizations working to assess and address childcare gaps in Indiana communities.
The CEC was awarded the largest sum at $39,500. According to a release, the local coalition, in partnership with Su Casa, Learn by Heart and the Indiana University ServeDesign Center, will pilot a “six-month coaching and business accelerator program to support the growth and development of high-quality child care programs in the Columbus area, with an emphasis on recruiting within the Latino community.”
“All families – regardless of race, income, neighborhood or primary language – should have access to affordable, high quality child care,” said Kathy Oren, president and CEO of the Community Education Coalition. “The funds provided through this grant will help develop strategies to create a much stronger county-wide system of supports for those looking to start a child care or early learning program. The grant will also help us to increase the number of Spanish-speaking early learning teachers and the number of child care slots in Bartholomew County. We are truly grateful to the IEDA Foundation and the Duke Energy Foundation for this impactful grant award.”
The CEC and its partners will provide approximately 250 hours of on-site coaching that is tailored to each prospective provider’s skills, education and experience and helps guide them through the licensure process.
Additionally, the IU ServeDesign Center will connect faculty and students of the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design with existing or prospective child care providers who wish to design their spaces for “optimal learning” and licensing standards.
The childcare innovation grant program was launched by Duke Energy and IEDA in response to the rising cost of childcare and declining number of providers, which have been burdens on working parents and employers. The grants are intended to provide financial support to communities “willing to approach this issue in new and innovative ways,” foundation officials said.
“A lack of affordable, high-quality child care can prevent parents from advancing in the workforce, hinder children’s access to structured learning at an early age, and burden employers with absenteeism and employee turnover,” said Erin Schneider, managing director of Midwest economic development for Duke Energy. “These grants will help local communities begin to confront this challenge head-on and support working parents.”
Over 40 entities responded to the request for proposals, collectively requesting more than $1.1 million in funding. In addition to the CEC, other grant recipients include the Carroll County Economic Development Corporation and the Early Learning Alliance for Carroll County ($6,000), the Community Foundation of Huntington County ($30,000), the Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County ($21,500), and One Southern Indiana and Ivy Tech Sellersburg ($18,000).
Additionally, IEDA has convened a taskforce of community leaders and organizations from across the state to develop policy recommendations and promote education on the impact of child care gaps in Indiana. Organizations that applied for the grant program have been invited to join the coalition to share their findings and help guide future policies and recommendations.
“High-quality child care is an investment we can’t afford to ignore,” said Lee Lewellen, IEDA’s chief executive officer. “Through this infusion of grant funds, we hope to make measurable progress toward closing the child care gap in Indiana communities – supporting children, families, child care workers, employers and the economy.”
