The Challenge

Grant County does not have enough child care for working families.

Recent studies show that only about half of the child care needed by working families is currently available. Infant and toddler care is especially limited, and many providers already have waiting lists.

As a result:

• Parents miss work or reduce hours

• Employers struggle to hire and retain employees

• Businesses delay expansion

• Families consider leaving the community

This is not just a family issue.
It is a workforce and economic development issue.

Why Tuition Alone Doesn’t Work

Many people assume child care providers can solve this by raising prices. The data shows that’s not true.

Even at current tuition rates:

• Providers often operate at a loss

• Rates that are affordable for families do not cover the true cost of care

• Increasing tuition further would push families out of the workforce

Child care is a labor-intensive service with strict safety, staffing, and licensing requirements. It cannot function like a typical small business.

Without community investment, providers cannot expand — and some may not survive.

Why This Affects Everyone (Even If You Don’t Have Kids)

Child care is essential infrastructure, just like roads, utilities, and schools.

When child care is unstable:

• Healthcare access is disrupted

• Retail and service hours are reduced

• Employers lose productivity

• Young families choose other communities

A community without reliable child care cannot grow — and struggles to maintain the workforce it already has.

What Community Support Makes Possible

Local investment in child care helps:

• Keep existing providers open and stable

• Support licensing and quality improvements

• Expand the number of available child care slots

• Encourage new providers to enter the field

• Reduce workforce disruptions for employers

This is about stabilizing and strengthening a system that supports the entire local economy.

How You Can Help

Sustainable child care requires shared responsibility.

Community support may include:

• Monthly or annual financial contributions

• Employer participation or matching support

• Sponsorship of workforce or provider initiatives

• Advocacy and awareness

Small contributions from many people make a real difference.
This is not charity — it is an investment in Grant County’s future.

Our Role

The Grant County Development Corporation is working with:

• Child care providers

• Employers

• Community partners

• Local and state resources

Our role is to coordinate solutions, manage resources responsibly, and ensure community investments create measurable impact.

Join Us

Grant County works when child care works.

By supporting child care, you are supporting:

• Working families

• Local employers

• Economic growth

• Community stability

Together, we can build a child care system that allows Grant County to thrive.