Resources for Small Business Development Centers Serving
Child Care Center Businesses

Fiscal Resources for Child Care Center Businesses:

• Child Care Center Financial Planning and Facilities Development Manual: A revised and expanded version of the Insight Center Maneuvering the Maze materials. This Manual includes four detailed chapters designed to help child care center directors and owners manage the financial side of their businesses and plan for a facility development project including expanding, renovating, building or purchasing a center.
  
  • Chapter 1: Budgeting and Basic Financial Statements
  • Chapter 2: Developing Pro Formas and Determining Debt _________ Capacity
  • Chapter 3: Developing a Child Care Business Plan
  • Chapter 4: The Facilities Development Process
  
  Also available in Spanish: Centros de Cuidado Infantil: Manual para la planificación financiera y el desarrollo de instalaciones
  
  
• Glossary of Loan Terms for Facilities Development Financing: Definitions of terms used in the lending and facility development fields as they relate to child care projects. Also available in Spanish: Glosario de Términos Sobre Préstamos
  
  
• Matrix of Financial Resources for Child Care Facilities (Updated 2007): This document is designed to help child care providers and child care advocates in their efforts to access financial assistance to build, purchase, expand or renovate child care centers and homes.
  
  
• Potential Grant Resources for Child Care Facilities (Updated 2006): This is a list of foundations that have a history or an interest in funding child care programs, capital campaigns, and/or building and facilities development projects.
  
  
• Preparing Child Care Borrowers for Underwriting: LIIF has designed this checklist to help individuals and organizations seeking child care capital financing understand the type of documentation lenders need to determine the viability of a potential borrower.
  

Start-up Resources for Child Care Center Businesses

• SBA How To Start A Quality Child Care Business: This has been designed to help you plan, prepare and operate a successful child care business. It explains the step by step process of starting the business, from assessing the need for child care services to selecting the service, setting up your business, and preparing for opening day. It also includes information from women who have owned or now operate their own child care businesses.
  
  
• Basic Licensing Requirements for Starting a Child Care Center or Preschool: This a publication that was developed by the Child Care Advocate Program to provide a quick reference guide to licensing requirements. It's a great resource to bring with you when you are selecting a site for your child care center.
  
  
• Establishing a Nonprofit: This tutorial from the Foundation Center describes 12 tasks you will need to accomplish as part of the process of establishing a nonprofit organization.
  
  
• Market Demand: 2005 Child Care Portfolio is a compilation of California statewide and county-by-county statistics on child care. The Portfolio includes a comprehensive California statewide report in both narrative and graphic format highlighting child care supply, demand, and cost issues in the context of current policy, demographic and labor force trends.
  

Facilities Resources for Child Care Center Businesses

• Eight Steps in the Design Process for Child Care Centers: This provides information about the following: Feasibility Study; Programming; Schematic Design; Design Development; Construction Documentation; Bidding and Negotiation; Construction Administration; Post-Occupancy Training.
  
  
• Finding a Child Care Center Site: In addition to providing some guidance on how to work with real estate professionals, this document by the Low Income Investment Fund includes a list of useful local resources and websites that can assist in your search.
  
  
• What to Consider Before Purchasing a Child Care Center: The intent of this document is to provide a potential buyer with a list of considerations to keep in mind before purchasing an existing child care center business, facility and land.
  
  
• Top Ten Mistakes Made in the Interior Design of Child Care Centers: This is a list compiled by child care designers to help the field avoid making mistakes in the design process.