Challenges
Access, Scalability
Location
Nebraska
Stakeholders
Businesses, Nonprofits, State Government
Beneficiaries
Parents, Children
Overview
Communities for Kids (C4K) is a statewide initiative in Nebraska, led by the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, that partners with primarily rural communities to address local shortages of high-quality childcare. The initiative uses a collective impact approach, providing expert technical assistance and resources to empower local leaders to build their own sustainable childcare solutions.
Key Impact Metrics
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67+
Nebraska communities have partnered with C4K since 2017
-
$14M
in federal CARES Act funds were distributed to providers with leadership from the C4K team
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41
communities are currently receiving high-touch technical assistance
Problem
Rural communities across Nebraska face an acute childcare crisis, with 91% of counties lacking sufficient licensed capacity to meet the demand from working families. This shortage acts as a major barrier to economic development, preventing communities from attracting and retaining the workforce needed to thrive. Top-down solutions often fail because they do not account for the unique assets and challenges of each community.
Solution
C4K does not directly operate childcare programs. Instead, its team of specialists guides local "Core Teams" of business leaders, school officials, providers, and parents through a multi-phase planning process. C4K provides communities with critical data on their local childcare gap, connects them to state and national resources, and facilitates the development of a customized work plan to increase local childcare capacity and quality.
Results
- Beneficiary Impact67 communities served in over 93 counties
- Employee ImpactThe C4K model creates local ownership and leadership capacity. Training community core teams to solve their own problems builds a sustainable infrastructure for ongoing early childhood advocacy and planning at the local level
- Financial Results$1.5 million operating budget, including $354,269 in direct contracts and grants to participating communities to support their local planning and implementation efforts
Replication Tips
- Act as a facilitator, not a provider: The model's power lies in empowering local communities to create their own solutions. The state or philanthropic entity's role should be to provide data, expertise, and process guidance, not to dictate a one-size-fits-all program.
- Build trust through local expertise: C4K's success was driven by hiring staff who were familiar with and trusted by rural communities. Replication efforts must prioritize hiring staff with deep local knowledge and relationships. Create a peer learning network: A key function of the initiative is to connect communities with one another, allowing them to share successes, challenges, and best practices within a broad peer learning network.
Suggested Implementation Timeline
~9-12 months
