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EEC plans employer-supported pilot and small-business supports to expand child-care capacity
Summary
EEC said a $2.5 million FY25 line item will fund an employer-supported pilot (with employer match) to expand capacity and affordability; staff also proposed adapting small-business supports for child-care providers.
The Department of Early Education and Care said it will design an employer-supported pilot with a $2.5 million FY25 line item that requires employer matching funds, creating a $5 million pool for pilots that expand access, affordability and capacity in the early-education sector.
Gabby Santana Goldstein, EEC's employer engagement manager, described two work streams: deepening relationships with employers to co-design benefits and capacity solutions, and adapting existing small-business resources so they meet the specific needs of child-care providers. "It is a matching program," she said, describing the state contribution of $2.5 million matched by employer funds to produce a $5 million total pool.
Staff described possible uses for the pilot funding, including employer resource centers to help design benefits (flex schedules, subsidies, on-site child care), tri-share models that share cost among state, employer and family (models in Iowa and Michigan were cited as examples), and targeted capacity-building that could include wage supports. The advisory discussion also emphasized adapting small-business services — tax assistance, legal support, insurance pooling and financial literacy — for family-childcare and small center operators.
Advisory members and providers offered localized suggestions. A family-childcare owner in Cambridge said technical assistance that covers one-time capital needs (for example, washers/dryers or safety equipment) and housing support or property-ownership options for family-childcare providers would strengthen sustainability. Another provider noted that certification for minority-owned businesses and access to procurement opportunities are barriers to revenue growth for some programs.
EEC staff asked advisory members for examples, contacts and ideas to inform a pilot design and said they would follow up to gather additional feedback from home-childcare networks and provider organizations.
