The goal of the Rural Homes Early Childhood Initiative (RHECI) is to simultaneously address the housing and childcare shortages of the region through integrating new affordable home construction with new family home childcare operations. The RHECI is doing this by running an accelerator program that will provide Family Child Care Home Providers (FCCHPs) with all the right tools to start stable businesses within the Rural Homes Waterview Development in Ouray, CO. This initiative will package direct services into an integrated program for potential FCCHPs with all the training and resources to start new, licensed family childcare home businesses, particularly by low-to-moderate income individuals, and execute a demonstration project in Ouray.
The RHECI will provide a striving family childcare home operator with an intensive training program that will cover the necessary components of early childhood care and education, business operations expertise, as well as targeted coaching and training on how to start or grow a FCCHP operation. This initiative will also include an innovative startup opportunity Mission Driven Finance as an initial childcare friendly landlord that provides the selected provides with the eventual opportunity for home ownership. With a stable home and the right support, family childcare can be a sustainable and successful business.
Rural Homes Early Childhood Initiative
Timeline
The following timeline is subject to change based on a variety of dynamic factors.
January-March 2024-Recruit interested participants and potential childcare providers for the RHECI business accelerator cohort
Spring/Summer 2024- Run 12- week RHECI accelerator cohort which will teach sustainable business practices and key principles. Homebuyer education and readiness will also be covered during this cohort.
Summer/Fall 2024 onward- Top candidates will have the opportunity to present their business plan for the FCCH to an interview panel. Selected candidates will move into one of the two FCCHP units renting and receiving support from Mission Driven Finance, with the eventual option to purchase the home once they have grown their business. Furthermore, Bright Futures will provide ongoing coaching/support of RHECI providers with their businesses beginning with pre-licensing and 1:1 business coaching.
Partners and Funders
Our Partners and Funders specific to this initiative bring key support and expertise in the early childhood field, and range from local organizations working in Childcare within the community of Ouray, to Statewide and Nationwide organizations focused on Home-Based Childcare and Early Childhood. The logos (click for their website link) of these partners are below:
