The Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (SOREDI), Foundation has announced a matching gift to catalyze childcare businesses through a new pilot small business mentoring partnership between the Southern Oregon Early Learning Hub (SOELS) and Rogue Community College Small Business Development Center (RCC SBDC).
The foundation gift totaling $10,000 will be directed toward the Josephine County Childcare Business Accelerator Pilot Program, which aims to mitigate the challenge of workforce childcare shortages and will be leveraged for $10,000 more in matching funds.
Other funding partners include $10,000 from Josephine County's SOELS and the City of Grants Pass Childcare Grant which contributed $30,000 in incentives for businesses with the urban growth boundary. Operational funds have also been leveraged with Business Oregon Capacity Building and Marketing funds, RCC SBDC staff and advisors matching efforts, and RCC.
These funds will be disbursed to childcare businesses upon completion of the program. SOELS offers to administer and distribute funds. The RCC SBDC will facilitate outreach, business startup and growth advising, mentoring and state licensing checklists in coordination with SOELS.
Participants who sign up for this new "Childcare Accelerator" program will be required to register for SBDC advising and mentoring, and must meet a checklist of readiness and training.
To learn more about the Josephine County Childcare Business Accelerator Pilot Program, please visit "roguecc.edu/sbdc."
