Challenges

Access, Scalability

Location

Louisiana

Stakeholders

Businesses, Local Chambers, Nonprofits, State Government

Beneficiaries

Job Seekers, Children, Parents

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Overview

In 2017, Louisiana’s legislature established a state-controlled Early Childhood Education Fund, explicitly designed to match local funds for early care and education. Whenever a local entity—for example, school district, parish, corporate donor, or foundation—raises new funds for early childhood scholarships or programs, the state fund provides an equal match.

Key Impact Metrics

  • $20M
    in state funding provided annually
  • 1,000+
    children provided better childcare acces
  • 75
    childcare centers supported

Problem

Louisiana historically invested very little in early childhood education, particularly for children aged zero to three. By 2017, many low-income families could not obtain subsidized infant care due to limited public funds—only a fraction of eligible children were being served. Childcare centers, especially high-quality providers, struggled financially, and as a result, childcare slots were scarce and expensive.

Solution

In 2017, Louisiana’s legislature established a state-controlled Early Childhood Education Fund designed explicitly to match local funds for early care and education. In practice, whenever a local entity—for example, school district, parish, corporate donor, or foundation—raises new funds for early childhood scholarships or programs, the state fund provides an equal match. This effectively doubles the funds provided.

Results

  • Beneficiary Impact
    Over 1,000 children served, and 600 low-income children served
  • Employee Impact
    Approximately 400 childcare jobs created
  • Financial Results
    $25 million of government funding provided

Replication Tips

  • Engage local champions: Identify mayors, county officials, or philanthropists passionate about early childhood. Present the match as a win-win: local dollars stay local but get amplified. Publicize early wins to motivate other communities.
  • Accountability and data: Track how matched funds are used and the outcomes—e.g., number of children served, waitlist reductions, kindergarten readiness scores. Share this data with lawmakers and stakeholders to sustain support. Early success data can help secure more state funding for the match pool each year.
  • Diversify funding sources: Encourage communities to combine various funds to maximize matches. Similarly, advocate for the state to allocate robust and recurring funding to the match program so locals trust that if they raise money, the state match will be there.

Suggested Implementation Timeline

~12-18 months

Sources