Child Care Business Development Center

The Vermont Community Loan Fund is dedicated to increasing the capacity, accessibility, and quality of child care in Vermont by financing the improvement of home and center-based facilities.

Program Priorities & Eligibility

The Child Care Business Development Center (CCBDC) provides technical assistance (TA) to child care providers who want to start or improve a child care business. The aspects of your program we can help you develop include, but are not limited to:

• Administrative and Organizational - developing a resource team, identifying professional resources/services, establishing personnel criteria and creating an employee handbook, identifying individual strengths and weaknesses;
• Financial Plan - financial goals, cash flow projections, start-up costs and financial assumptions, bookkeeping activities, exit strategy;
• Services and Products - what services will be provided, days/hours of operation, any unique services, identifying limitations and expectations, payment plans and fee schedules, discharge policy;
• Marketing Plan - industry, competition, market and pricing profiles, promotional strategies, locations;
• Operating & Control Systems - admissions guidelines, policies and procedures, health and safety policies, fire and natural disaster planning and procedures, documentation and controls, environmental safety factors, nutrition policy/sample menu, parents handbook;
• Children's Needs - discipline policy, transportation and field trip policy, incident reporting;
• Forms - child information/enrollment, emergency contacts and pick up/drop off, child profile, medical record form, authorization for medical treatment, travel and activity authorization, picture permission, injury report, discipline report, sign in/sign out sheet, meal record form, daily record; and
• Facility Design & Layout - consultation, site visits, tools, playground safety.

Often accomplished one-on-one and on-site, the CCBDC's TA can incorporate training, mentoring and peer support. We'll contract with or make referrals to outside services and expertise as necessary to ensure the highest quality of support for the providers accessing the CCBDC.

Priority will be given to programs and providers who:

• Participate in a local provider network;
• Plan to attain NAEYC or NAFCCA accreditation;
• Participate in STARS;
• Strive to pay an average wage at least $1 above the industry average, and at least $2 above the statewide minimum wage and
• Ensure staffing turnover will be minimal: less than 15% annually, or less than half the industry average.

All child care programs that operate under the regulations of the Vermont Child Care Licensing Division are eligible for TA from VCLF's Child Care Business Development Center. This includes licensed centers, as well as licensed and registered home-based programs. We welcome inquiries from programs and individuals currently considering or in the process of becoming licensed and registered.

How Do I Get Started, and What If I Have Questions?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this program just for licensed centers?
We work with both center- and home-based providers who are licensed and registered, as well as providers who are looking to learn more about becoming licensed and registered.

Who has access to my financial information?
Financial materials received by VCLF will remain confidential and will not be disclosed to other agencies.

Is there a fee/cost?
No. Thanks to support from VCLF and the Permanent Fund for the Well-being of Vermont Children, services offered by the CCBDC are 100% free of charge to the provider.

I don't understand what to do. Can you help me?
Yes. The Child Care Business Development Center Manager is always available to assist providers throughout the entire process. Don't hesitate to call.

For more information contact:
The Child Care Business Development Center
Vermont Community Loan Fund
15 State Street / P.O. Box 827
Montpelier, VT 05601
Phone: (802) 223-1448
Fax: (802) 223-1455
Email: childcare@vclf.org