 | | | | First Children’s Finance Growth Fund: Social enterprise at its best. Jerry Cutts
2/16/2010 4:39 PM
The idea of social enterprises – organizations applying market-based strategies to achieve a social purpose – has become widely discussed in recent years as a way to bring together the best of business with the best of intentions to do good. Both nonprofits and for-profits are emerging as social enterprises, sharing commitments to community and effective business practices. And the movement is growing around the world. Read more... |
Thanks to our generous funders for their recent support!
2/16/2010 1:09 PM
- $2 million from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to offer a Growth Fund program to work with high quality care and education centers in Detroit, MI, that are considering adding services to meet the multiple needs of lower income families and their children. The grant also helps fund Children’s Chamber of Commerce and fellowship programs in Michigan. Read more...
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First Children’s Growth Fund: Growing successful child care businesses
2/16/2010 1:03 PM
In 2006 First Children’s Finance launched a game changing strategy to sustain and grow the number of spaces for children in high quality early care and education centers. The idea was a simple one: when you combine the talent and expertise of providers and business people, you get the best results for children from lower income families. First Children's Growth Fund program is currently serving Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota and South Dakota. Read more... |
Roger Neugebauer, Director
2/16/2010 12:34 PM
 Roger and Bonnie Neugebauer have published Exchange – The Early Childhood Leaders Magazine, since 1978. Neugebauer has presented keynote addresses at more than 200 conferences in 48 states and six nations. In 1997 he was honored by Working Mother magazine as one of "25 Champions of Working Parents." Bonnie and Roger Neugebauer are also the founders of the World Forum on Early Care and Education, a bi-annual gathering of early childhood practitioners from 80 nations to address issues in delivering quality services in diverse settings. Read more... |
Doug Morrison, Director
2/16/2010 11:40 AM
 Doug Morrison was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of South Dakota, receiving a bachelor of science degree in business with an accounting major in 1981. After six years working as a CPA in Gillette, Wyoming, he accepted a position as a financial analyst at Citibank (South Dakota) N.A. in Sioux Falls. Doug worked in a variety of financial positions for Citibank and was appointed Citibank’s chief financial officer in April of 2000. Read more... |
Heidi Schlueter, Director of State Operations and Development
2/16/2010 10:47 AM
 Prior to joining First Children’s Finance, Heidi worked for nine years with Community Action of Eastern Iowa Head Start and Early Head Start. As director, her responsibilities included leadership and oversight for the early care and education of approximately 600 children and directing a staff of more than 100 people at 24 locations. Read more... |
Nedra Sims Fears, Business Development Specialist
2/16/2010 9:59 AM
 As a Special Projects Coordinator Nedra Sims Fears advises early education and care business owners about how to improve their business practices and space planning. Nedra has more than 20 years of experience in community development, mortgage banking, secondary mortgage market, construction management and interior architecture. Nedra has a M.B.A. in finance from Northwestern University and a B.S. in interior architecture from Cornell University. Read more... |
The First Children’s Finance Loan Fund: Modest investment, significant impact
10/8/2009 3:38 PM
Jerry Cutts, President and CEO
Think about paying 18 percent on a loan to start or grow a child care business. It’s frightening to consider how many child care professionals have done just that. I remember reading about family providers who were borrowing money at 18 percent, using their credit cards. That shouldn’t happen to those caring individuals who want to make certain children have safe, quality educational environments. Using high interest loans increases the risk of their financial failure, closing the doors to families who need them. Knowing that this situation happens too frequently, we decided to do something about it – asking the legislature and Minnesota financial institutions to invest in our children. Read more... |
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