Vermont Newsletter

June 2024

Vermont News 

This time last year, the Legislature was preparing to override the governor’s veto to make Act 76 law. For some child care programs, the changes in reimbursements and family eligibility have changed everything about their businesses and allowed them to plan for the future — maybe for the first time.


Some programs have felt fewer effects of the child care law on their businesses. If you struggle to keep your classrooms open and your business afloat, FCF staff are here to help. While we can’t change the demographics of your community or make qualified staff magically appear on your doorstep, we are skilled in finding ways to make the current situation work. And we are not afraid to try creative “outside the box” approaches that may help you keep doing what you do.


The end of June and early July are often a great time to take stock of the past year and look ahead to the next one. The FCF VT team has cleared its calendars for the summer, and we are ready to listen. We’d love to know what’s on your mind!

Successful Grant Year Ends; More to Come!

As our first year of administering the Make Way for Kids grant program comes to a close, we are proud to have played a small part in expanding access to child care for Vermont’s families. If you want to see some of these expansions and startup programs happening all over the state, we have been featuring them on our social media, so please follow us on Facebook.

We are planning a new round of these grants; look for announcements and online applications this fall. Around the same time, look for the next round of grants from Building Bright Futures’ Vermont Early Childhood Fund at -

www.buildingbrightfutures.org.

FCF VT News


The big news at FCF VT is that Tess Weafer joined our team late last month. Tess is no stranger to working with and for youth. She brings years of recreation and athletic programming experience—most recently at Special Olympics—to our team.


Tess is already a valued part of FCF VT and will start FAQ Fridays on social media to help answer your questions about Act 76!


June also brought our first Start-Up Boot Camp! Ten people attended this two-session “So you think you want to start a child care?” experience. If you know anyone who might be interested in a future Boot Camp, they can email us at infovt@firstchildrensfinance.org. (We hope to run another Boot Camp in the fall.) 

Trainings, Cohorts, and More!


We have wrapped up our trainings for spring, but you can register for our fall trainings on the Northern Lights calendar.


The 2024 Child Care Business Administration course just wrapped up! This three-credit course ran from April to June using a hybrid model. If you are working on your director credential and would like more information about this course for 2025, email us at infovt@firstchildrensfinance.com. 

While our trainings are paused for the summer, the opportunity for learning never ends. Our latest Act 76 explainer video details how the Child Care Contribution will impact your business.


It’s available on www.sharedservicesvt.org. Watch for our next video about the new family child care reimbursement rates by early July.

Act 76 Explained

BTAP Program Can Help With Business Training & Technical Assistance

Summer is a great time to assess your business, especially with all the changes over the past year. If you are interested in having an expert review your budget and provide advice, our Business Technical Assistance program can do that at no charge to you!

The Business Technical Assistance Program provides expert business training, technical assistance, and consulting to help start, sustain, and grow child care businesses. The Vermont BTAP is a partnership between First Children’s Finance and Let’s Grow Kids and is made possible through a grant to FCF by the Vermont Agency of Human Services, Department for Children and Families, Child Development Division. Email FCF VT for more information.

Upcoming Holidays - Offices Closed

July

4

Independence Day


September

2

Labor Day

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