Financing Child Care in the United States - Ewing Marion Kauffman ...

MODEL CENTERS INITIATIVE OF
THE MIRIAM AND PETER HAAS
FUND (SAN FRANCISCO,
CALIFORNIA)
DESCRIPTION
The Model Centers Initiative provides significant, multiyear
support to help several child care centers that serve
low–income families with preschool–age children become
“model centers” that provide developmentally appropriate,
high–quality child care.
WHEN ESTABLISHED
The initiative was designed during 1995, and the first
four centers were selected to participate in 1996.
ANNUAL AMOUNT
Annual grants to the centers range from $100,000 to
$500,000 with a five–year commitment to the initiative.
SERVICES FUNDED
Each center requested funds for specific improvements,
such as staff development, salary enhancements,
equipment and supplies, comprehensive service staff (e.g.,
social workers), physical renovations and planning for the
purchase and/or construction of a new site.
In addition to funding an initial needs assessment
consultation for each center, the Fund has paid for a
five–year evaluation and technical assistance to the
model centers. Fund staff spend a significant portion of
time on work related to the model centers.
HOW FUNDS DISTRIBUTED
After a thorough needs assessment for each center
(commissioned by the Fund), each center prepared an
improvement plan and associated funding request. After
the Fund reviews and approves the annual plan, each
center receives a quarterly payment based on the cash
flow required to implement its plan.
POPULATION SERVED
Low–income families in San Francisco who use one of
the model centers for child care are the population
served directly.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
• The Model Centers Initiative represents a significant
financial investment and commitment on the part of a
philanthropic organization to child care in a city.
• The Fund is concerned that its commitment and
infusion of resources to early childhood serve as a
catalyst, encouraging other funders to increase, rather
than reduce, their commitments to early childhood. It is
tracking both public and private investment in early
childhood activities in San Francisco. Further, the Fund
is actively engaged in—and providing financial support
in partnership with other funders to—other community
child care initiatives.
• The Program Materials and Equipment (PM&E) fund
provides small grants of about $3,000 to all licensed
centers. The fund participates in the Child Care
Facilities Fund and Professional Development Initiative.
• The Fund produced and distributed a pamphlet,
“Early Childhood Education: A Social and Economic
Imperative.” This provided an opportunity to share the
lessons learned in San Francisco through model
centers to persuade other private funders to make a
similar commitment to early childhood in their own
cities.
• To the extent that the Fund can target its resources to
improving the context in which all San Francisco
centers operate, it will be more likely to produce lasting
improvements in the model centers and improvements
that will reach beyond them. Contextual factors that
might be addressed include professional development,
public financing for child care services, facility
development and financing.
• Initiatives designed to directly help a relatively small
proportion of the child care centers in a given city will
miss home–based child care. However, the contextual
changes that result will have the potential to positively
affect the wider child care community.
OTHER SITES WITH SIMILAR STRATEGIES
Some community foundations make grants to support
child care projects. Other family foundations also support
child care improvement efforts in communities. A coalition
of New Jersey foundations is involved in a similar effort in
the City of Newark.
CONTACT
Cheryl Polk, Program Director
Miriam and Peter Haas Fund
201 Filbert Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone (415) 296 9249
Fax (415) 296 9249
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