Child Care Capacity Building Consultant RFP

The Initiative Foundation’s 14-county service area includes Benton, Cass, Chisago, Crow Wing, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena and Wright counties and the sovereign Native nations of the Leech Lake and Mille Lacs Bands of Ojibwe. We are proud to serve more than 750,000 residents. Our region is diverse in its population, environment and economy. Each hometown and Native community has its own unique character and local assets.

We are an independent foundation supported by individuals, families, businesses and organizations who want to strengthen Central Minnesota. Solutions would come by empowering local communities to chart their own way forward. Local community members play a vital role in addressing local issues.

Lack of affordable, quality child care has been identified as a concern across the state and individual communities are addressing these concerns.

The Foundation’s Childcare Solutions program offers a range of resources to address child care issues. Consultants work in close collaboration with the Initiative Foundation child Care Solutions program officer to implement services, strategies, and resources to increase the capacity and quality of child care.

Childcare Solutions – Initiative Foundation (ifound.org)

We are seeking a child care capacity building consultant to assist with serving counties in our eastern service region (Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec, and Mille Lacs).

 Requests for proposals for the following work will be accepted until Jan 12.

 Project Design

The purpose of this project is to:

1). Be a support to all the counties in our region developing solutions that address child care shortages by attending monthly meetings and sharing information across the region.

2). Add cohesiveness to child care planning and solutions from a regional economic development perspective by attending meetings and creating & maintaining a regional website.

3). Create synergy, collaboration, and efficiencies where possible within the region.

Scope of Work

  • Provide regional, on-the-ground organizational and technical assistance to counties in Region 7E.
  • Create awareness of child care shortages and issues throughout the region generating a larger impact.
  • Develop innovative plans to attract and retain quality child care providers and supports for providers.
  • Create regional child care marketing and branding.
    • Develop new website design.
      • Housing outreach materials and tools used for community engagement
      • Child care resources for regional providers and centers
      • Direct links to County specific child care information and Child Care Aware
      • Child care resources and support for employers
      • Articles and information directly related to child care
      • Shared solutions and lessons learned across the region
    • Develop marketing materials for the region and counties.
    • Develop social media presence.
    • Other marketing elements could include (as needed):
      • Expos
      • Regional training
      • Back to school welcome meetings
      • Flyers
      • PowerPoint presentation template for Teams to use when speaking
      • Elevator script
      • Radio interviews
      • Advertisements
      • Press releases

Project Elements

  • Explore employer-related child care options with large regional employers including employer-owned centers, paid child care slot benefits, child care sponsorships, etc.
  • Work with FCF and other communities to explore Specialized family child care including single or multiple POD models.
  • Outreach to area churches or community buildings for potential rental space for a specialized family childcare or center.
  • Lower business-related barriers to becoming a child care provider and sustain as a micro-entrepreneur – i.e. develop ‘back office’ support such as accounting and tax support through trained professionals

Deliverables and schedule:

Contractor will attend regional child care meetings, communicate with local leaders, child care professionals  and business owners Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec, Mille Lacs counties.

Contractor will develop and maintain a website which features county specific information related to child care for each of the PICKM counties.  This is likely to include:

  • Training opportunities
  • Grants and financing for providers
  • Credentialling support
  • Networking and mentoring opportunities
  • Sources of technical support
  • County (or community) specific data on child care gap (shortage)
  • Shared services or bulking purchasing opportunities
  • Employer child care resources including resources to assist their employees
  • Direct links to services and resources will be provided
  • Articles directly related to child care
  • Tools and templates to assist child care groups and communities with creating child care solutions.
  • Website will be updated regularly to incorporate any child care news, events or opportunities, and community solution plans.
  • Website will be maintained through contracted dates
  • Materials and website will acknowledge funding by the Initiative Foundation & Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
  • Tracking data and report quarters on the tasks completed, mileage or supplies.

Please send request for proposals with information regarding experience, local affiliations, marketing and outreach experience and child care knowledge to the Initiative Foundation Child Care Solutions Program Officer by January 12, 2024.

Jessica Gilder

(320) 631-2023

jgilder@ifound.org