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Legislative Interim & State Agency Meetings
- May 7: Economic Affairs Interim Committee (watch)
- May 8: OPI Early Learning Collaborative meeting
- May 9: Children, Families, Health & Human Services Interim Committee (watch)
- June 18-19: Legislative Days (Legislators will come to Helena to get up to speed on 2025 Session's emerging issues, hear about potential proposals of interim committees, & take deep dives in topical workshops led by legislative staff)
Zero to Five Montana & Upcoming Partner Events
- May 1-3: SHRM Conference (Billings)
- May 10: Provider Appreciation Day! (see below for more info)
- May 13: Day Without Child Care
- May 21-23: Ready to Lead Leadership Academy (Helena)
- May 29-30: Cost of Care Study Kickoff Event (Helena) Please reach out if you have any questions or are interested in participating!
- May 29 - Comprehensive Cost of Care Stakeholder Advisory Meeting
- May 30 - Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis Workshop
Aug. 7-8: Montana Child Care Business Connect Annual Summit in Helena
Shout Out to Economic Affairs Interim Committee
Next Tuesday, May 7, the Economic Affairs Interim Committee once again has child care and the workforce on the agenda!
This is a great opportunity to engage with legislators on this critical matter - send a note to the committee letting them know you appreciate their attention to the issue of child care in Montana and hope their efforts to improve the system continue through the interim and into the 2025 legislative session.
Committee staff has put together a number of great resources including a child care insurance analysis, child care policy options regarding insurance,
(Want to watch the meeting? See the link in the calendar section above.)
Provider Appreciation Day is May 10!
May 10 is provider appreciation day! Zero to Five Montana would love to help you say #thankyouchildcare – nominate your child care provider through the button below and we’ll randomly select a winner on May 10 to receive a little token of thanks from us!
Provider Appreciation Day is celebrated the Friday before Mother’s Day every year to recognize child care providers, teachers and other educators of young children everywhere. This day is an opportunity to amplify our nation’s collective gratitude for those who support the social, emotional and physical care of our youngest children.
We know child care providers keep our children safe while engaging with them and allowing them to play, learn and grow. They also do the work that makes other work possible, so parents can obtain and keep employment, provide for their families and participate in the state’s economy.
THANK YOU, CHILD CARE!
The Workforce Behind the Workforce
Our executive director, Caitlin Jensen, and senior child care business advisor, Jason Nitschke, attended the Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA) 2024 Spring Conference held in Red Lodge in late April.
We commend MEDA for
including discussions on child care and its impact on the work force and our state's economy!
Early Childhood & Tribal Food Sovereignty
Callie Parr, our early childhood tribal policy coordinator, was back on the road last month and spent some time at KwaTaqNuk for "Understanding Through Listening" hosted by Montana's Harvest of the Month (HOM), Montana Cooperative Development Center and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.
The project aims to understand what food sovereignty and policy issues tribal communities are working on, and learn if Montana Native Communities are interested in using the HOM program to showcase Indigenous foods, culture, history, art and knowledge in a variety of settings, including early childhood.
Forging these connections, Zero to Five Montana is striving to build a strong tribal early childhood coalition.
PARTNER EVENTS
Join Main Street Alliance during Small Business Month for
Virtual Hill Meetings
Main Street Alliance is hosting May Small Business Month and organizing virtual meetings with elected representatives. Are you a small business owner and interested in joining? Sign up here.
Congratulations to our Business Accelerator Mentorship Program participants!
We are overjoyed to share the exciting news of the successful completion of our first Business Accelerator Mentorship Program cohort! A heartfelt congratulations to our dedicated proteges and mentors - your commitment and passion have truly set the stage for growth and innovation.
In April, cohorts 1 and 2 came together in Choteau for invaluable continued learning sessions and to mark the conclusion of the first cohort, while also ushering in the beginning of the second. The energy and enthusiasm in the room were palpable, and it was a joy to witness the collective spirit of collaboration and progress.
As a community, we take immense pride in fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurs, and the resounding sentiment from the event, "This is how all businesses should start," is a testament to the power of mentorship and shared knowledge in shaping thriving enterprises. Together, we are redefining the landscape of child care business development and creating pathways for sustainable success.
We are humbled by the dedication and perseverance of our participants and mentors, and we are committed to continuing our mission of empowering and supporting the child care industry. Let's keep championing growth, learning, and collaboration as we work together to strengthen our communities. 💪
Curious to learn more about our programs and upcoming opportunities? Visit us at childcarebusinessconnect.com and join us in shaping a vibrant future for Montana's child care landscape! Together, we can make a difference. ✨
Small Business Update
Attention Small Business Owners!
The Federal Corporate Transparency Act went into effect on January 1, 2024. Its purpose is to increase transparency in entity structures and ownership. It will help combat money laundering, tax fraud, and other illegal activities.
The Reporting Rule requires certain entities to file beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Reports contain information about the entity itself, and two categories of individuals: beneficial owners and company applicants.
- If your company already exists as of January 1, 2024, it must file its initial BOI report by January 1, 2025.
- If your company is created or registered to do business in the United States after January 1, 2024, then it must file its initial BOI report within 90 days after receiving actual or public notice that its creation or registration is effective. Small businesses are subject to fines if required reporting information is not completed.
The willful failure to report complete or updated beneficial ownership information to FinCEN, or the willful provision of or attempt to provide false or fraudulent beneficial ownership information may result in a civil or criminal penalties, including civil penalties of up to $500 for each day that the violation continues, or criminal penalties including imprisonment for up to two years and/or a fine of up to $10,000. Senior officers of an entity that fails to file a required BOI report may be held accountable for that failure.
For more information on the Federal Corporate Transparency Act and BOI reporting, visit:
To report your information on beneficial ownership, visit:
Education & Events
Recorded Webinars Available
Missed a Tiny Training webinar? Subscribe to our YouTube channel to access past recordings. Or, visit childcarebusinessconnect.com.
NEW! MCCBC is now offering courses through www.ChildCareTraining.org!
Watch for more over the next few months!
Small Business Resiliency Course
Don’t let burn-out be the reason you close your business! In some studies, 67% of child care business owners report experiencing some sort of “burn out” as a contributing factor to why they close their doors. Less than 20% of child care businesses that closed their doors reported having any kind of resiliency training or support. It is the goal of this workshop to provide you with four skills that have been proven successful in combatting burn out.
This course can be taken at any time and is free of charge. Two hours ECP credit is available.
In the News
- Increased child care access could ease Montana workforce shortage, advocates argue (Helena IR - featuring Zero to Five Montana's Jason Nitschke and Shelby Whelan!)
- 'We can't exist without child care': Rural towns use state funding to open local centers (South Dakota Searchlight)
- Effectively funding child care: Lessons from the American Rescue Plan Act (Forbes)
- Poverty in preschool: Colorado's low teacher pay leaves staffing crisis (Rocky Mountain PBS)
- Inside America's child care crisis as parents, providers sound alarm (CBS News)
- At least a dozen states are considering free child care for early educators (EdSerge)
- These cities raised taxes – for child care. Parents say the free day care 'changed my life' (AP)
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