United Way of Santa Barbara County has announced the start of the Brighter Futures Childcare Fund.

Brighter Futures is a centralized fund for parents, caregivers, local employers, and childcare providers to access financial resources to find or provide high-quality care for children ages 0-5, according to United Way.

The fund is part of United Way’s countywide Brighter Future Childcare Initiative, a collaborative effort designed to increase the availability and affordability of childcare in Santa Barbara County.

The Brighter Futures Childcare Fund comes as a result of recommendations made in United Way’s 2024 countywide assessment of local parents, childcare providers, and employers to identify challenges and gaps within the sector.

Some 1,000 local parents and 45 employers representing 18,500 employees across the county participated and identified pressing needs including:

  • The establishment of a local scholarship fund for middle-income families.
  • Increased employer investment in childcare options for the workforce.
  • Improved municipal policies and increased public investment in the sector.
  • Increased education for parents and providers about available subsidies.

“This work is essential to our community’s ability to generate sustainable models for early childhood care,” said Steve Ortiz, president/CEO at United Way of Santa Barbara County. “A strong childcare system is at the center of local families’ financial foundation, with lasting impact on household stability, academic success, and economic potential.” 
 
The Brighter Futures Childcare Fund’s five funding areas include: 

  • Scholarships for working parents and caregivers in the “missing middle” who make too much to qualify for government-subsidized childcare programs but too little to afford the average cost of childcare in Santa Barbara County.
  • Grants to support startup costs for local employers and businesses looking to establish employer-sponsored childcare programs.
  • Technical support for businesses starting new childcare facilities.
  • Business training support for childcare providers and owners, enabling the growth and success of their businesses.
  • Emergency preparedness training for childcare providers and owners, creating a safer and more robust childcare sector in emergencies.

“It’s a privilege to join those in our community working together to create a childcare system that works for everyone,” said Rose Levy, director of Strategic Partnerships and Advancement at United Way.

“We are looking forward to building upon our experience in this space as part of this collaborative partnership, and furthering efforts to support thousands of parents, caregivers, providers, and employers throughout Santa Barbara County,” Levy said.

The fund is a combination of government, corporate, and philanthropic support and has opened with some $700,000 to address the stated goals. Santa Barbara County, the city of Goleta, and United Way of Santa Barbara County are included in the fund’s initial supporters.

Public and private donations to the fund can be general gifts or directed to specific interest areas of interest. Given the nature of the fund’s structure and management, investments can also be made regionally, supporting providers, employers, and families in a specific municipality or region.
 
The Brighter Futures Childcare Fund infrastructure is informed by United Way’s experience as a grant-making organization, both as a direct provider of scholarship and grant programming and as a fiscal agent for collaborative community and municipal funding distribution.

The fund is one of multiple key means in United Way’s ongoing contract with Santa Barbara County to support the growth of the local childcare sector.

The Brighter Futures Childcare Initiative includes the establishment of the United Way’s Brighter Futures Childcare Coalition, completion of the countywide childcare assessment, and development of an emergency childcare action plan for the county.

Significant progress on each of the deliverables has already been achieved for the contracted term, which is set to conclude in 2026, Unite Way said.
 
For more on the Brighter Futures Childcare Fund, Coalition, countywide emergency action plan, or to support any of the initiatives listed above, visit www.unitedwaysb.org/Childcare.