Oregon Child Care Alliance
Free Business Coaching for Oregon Child Care Providers.
Now accepting applications. Limited space available.
Get professional support to increase revenue, solve challenging business problems, and streamline your workload of your childcare business.
Free training and resources to help you grow your family child care business.
Operating a child care business is hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Learn how to fill open spots, collect payments faster, streamline time-consuming business tasks, and increase your bottom line with free business coaching. This includes access to child care management software and a dynamic community of business owners just like you.
Child care is an essential service, and COVID highlighted this and the fact that child care programs need more support to survive and thrive. We created this program in partnership with child care resource referrals and child care providers around the state. Our mission is to help you build a sustainable business, increase your revenue, and get rid of business struggles that keep you from growing.
For the first year, the program will be offered to the first 80 qualified providers who meet the program criteria. See the FAQ section to learn more about program qualifications.
If accepted into the program, you’ll receive one year of free support from mentors to help you do the following:
Automate Business Tasks
Get access to free* childcare management software that:
- Eliminates paperwork
- Helps you collect tuition and fees on-time and online
- Shares your up-to-date availability with families looking for care
- Provides easier parent communications and offers digital check-in and check-out
- And more!
We’ll support you with onboarding and any training necessary.
*By joining the Oregon Child Care Alliance, you will be making a commitment to receive training on and use financial management software, powered by Wonderschool, for at least one year.
Increase Revenue
Receive free coaching and training to help you with:
- Recordkeeping
- Tax management
- Bad debt reduction
- And more!
Grow Your Business
Receive strategic support that helps you:
- Refine your business goals
- Build a strong financial plan
- Create a marketing plan to increase your online presence
- Prepare for upcoming tax seasons
- And more!
OUR PARTNERS
GET STARTED
APPLY
Fill out the simple application form to help us learn about you and your program.
INTERVIEW
We’ll have a 20-30 minute call to discuss your business goals.
START
If accepted, you’ll get set up with your free tools, coach, and cohort.
WHAT WE ASK OF YOU
Shared Expectations – What we’ll ask you to do to increase
your chances of success in the program:
Commit to using new software that will reduce your to-dos and provide your coaches with business data to help you reach your goals.
Have continuous, open dialogue with your new coach. The more open you are, the more the coach can support.
Engage and connect online with your professional cohort. This is a group that you can lean on for the good and the bad.
After one year, join the alliance as a paid member to continue accessing the software for a small fee.
FAQs
You have questions, we have answers!
Why did you create this program?
Child care is an essential service, and COVID highlighted this and the fact that child care programs need more support to survive and thrive. We created this program in partnership with child care resource referrals and childcare providers around the state. Our mission is to help you build a sustainable business, increase your revenue, and get rid of business struggles that keep you from growing.
What does this program do?
The Oregon Child Care Alliance supports and trains providers across the state of Oregon to increase their revenue, reduce administrative workload, and relieve the stress that running a business can bring (especially during COVID!). If accepted, you’ll become part of a group of other childcare professionals and business coaches to help you implement software tools, refine business goals, reduce any debt you may have, and find ways to increase your revenue and bottom line.
Is this really free?
Yes, membership to the Oregon Child Care Alliance is free at this time. Our goal is to help child care providers see increases to their revenue and grow their business in a sustainable way. We aim to always keep Alliance membership affordable and attainable to all child care providers. We will notify far in advance if any fee structure will be built into OCCA membership in the future.
What are the qualifications?
Eligibility criteria include:
- Certified Family, Registered Family, or a Small Certified Center (75 children or less)
- Financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- If closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, actively working to reopen
- Relatively stable prior to the pandemic (open for at least 18 months)
- Provider has access to internet or cell service & access to a tablet, laptop, or smartphone (or have the willingness to use one if provided)
- Willing to commit to training sessions with a coach
We are prioritizing access to this program for providers:
- Who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color
- Who speak Spanish
- Who serve infants and toddlers
- Who do inclusive childcare
- Who operate in a childcare desert
Is the program software easy to learn?
We’re providing simple, fast, and free software to help you manage your program from a phone, computer, or tablet. The software was designed for, and is used by, hundreds of family childcare programs across the country. We will also provide support every step of the way, from onboarding to implementation.
Will the program help me to get organized?
We understand how challenging it can be to stay on top of all of the administrative demands of your business. If your files are unorganized, you’ll benefit greatly with the help of automation and a Business Coach! No judgment – just help in tidying up your operations and reducing your administrative burdens.
Will the program software add to my workload?
Spending a few hours a week (2-3!) to learn and use the software will save you time day in and day out. Meeting with your coach to analyze your data and improve your business and quality practices will improve your program and your bottom line.
What if English isn’t my first language?
We have program staff and coaches who are Spanish-speaking, and the software is available in Spanish.
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