8.4 Public-Private Partnerships

Lead Agencies must demonstrate how they encourage partnerships among other public agencies, Tribal organizations, private entities, faith-based organizations, businesses, or organizations that promote business involvement, and/or community-based organizations to leverage existing service delivery (i.e., cooperative agreement among providers to pool resources to pay for shared fixed costs and operation) to leverage existing child care and early education service delivery systems and to increase the supply and quality of child care services for children younger than age 13. 8.4.1 Lead Agency public-private partnerships Identify and describe any public-private partnerships encouraged by the Lead Agency to leverage public and private resources to further the goals of CCDF: The Lead Agency and the child care resource and referral contracted vendor work with others to: raise awareness of child care as infrastructure for healthy vibrant communities; support communities to develop innovative strategies to sustain and increase child care capacity, and; make available strong resources to support child care providers in business operations and their daily work with children and families. The child care resource and referral contracted vendor maintains an Economic Development North Dakota Membership and a Vision West (19 oil producing counties) Membership and partners with members to support strategies to increase child care capacity; attending meetings, co-chairing a Child Care Committee, and acting as a resource to community leaders and reaching back out to help potential and existing providers access possible funding streams at the state, local, or county level. Additionally, the child care resource and referral contracted vendor relates to and partners with Local chambers, city fire Inspectors, zoning officials, and local school districts, Small Business Administration, and Job Development Authorities. As a result, the child care resource and referral contracted vendor was invited to attend Mainstreet Round Table events sponsored by the Governor’s Office and North Dakota Chamber of Commerce. Child Care Aware of North Dakota and Vision West North Dakota, with funding support from the Bush Foundation, created and updated a Child Care in Your Community Guide to assist individuals and organizations as they consider child care options in their communities. Topics include strategies to build capacity, child care models, financing options and more.