Starting & Expanding Your Business

Learn about what you need to become an Employer/Owner, Early Childhood Educator, or care for Family, Friends, and Neighbors including licensing, background checks, required training and more.

Getting Started

Learn about the types of child care to find what’s best for you by visiting the Become a Provider page.

Child Care Resource and Referral agencies

The Department of Early Learning and Care funded regional Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies throughout Oregon. These agencies are available to support educators, program owners and employers, and those looking to become educators, program owners and/or employers.

CCR&R staff are available to provide guidance and technical assistance for the following business supports:

Understanding the process to open a child care and early learning program
Building knowledge and skills in business
Connect owners and employers with additional resources for business technical assistance
Provide trainings required by Department of Early Learning and Care for program owners and staff
In some areas, Business Coaches are available at the CCR&R to work directly with those interested in starting a child care business, for those who already are connected with a business and seeking support with a Shared Service Alliance. Connect with a Business Coach at your local CCR&R. (Link to each CCR&R Webpage, Multnomah County, Southern Oregon University, Washington County, Northwest Regional Educational Service District, Marion Polk Yamhill, South Coast, and Central Oregon)
Regional CCR&Rs

Training

Not only is ongoing training required to maintain your ability to provide licensed care, it is essential to help you stay up to date with the latest research, teaching strategies, and best practices in the field. Early childhood education is a dynamic and constantly evolving field, and it is essential for educators to continuously improve their knowledge and skills to provide high-quality care and education to young children.

Ongoing training allows early childhood educators to develop new skills, acquire new knowledge, and gain insights that can improve their practice and advance their careers. High-quality training has a significant impact on the development and future success of the children in their care and helps educators build the confidence and knowledge to support children with diverse backgrounds, needs, and abilities.

Training is available from a variety of sources through the Oregon Center for Career Development (OCCD) . Upcoming trainings are available on the OCCD Training Calendar .

There are also a variety of trainings and webinars available through ORO, local Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, and technical assistance providers. Below are some of the upcoming trainings and webinars focused on child care business support.

Upcoming Childcare Business Trainings and Webinars:

Quality Staffing for your Child Care Center (CCC)

Thursday, January 22, 2026
6:00pm-9:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

Learn the three phases of employee recruitment, hiring, and retention. Analyze current hiring and employee retention processes. Identify strategies to recruit qualified teachers. Review best practices for hiring new employees. Understand the importance of a holistic employee orientation process. Develop strategies to increase staff leadership development. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: One
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, & Chinese Interpretation available

Personal de Calidad para tu Centro de Cuidado Infantil (CCC) - solo en Español

Jueves 29 de enero de 2026
6:00pm-9:00pm (PST) con First Children's Finance

Aprende las tres fases de la contratación, contratación y retención de empleados. Analiza los procesos actuales de contratación y retención de empleados. Identifica estrategias para reclutar profesores cualificados. Revisa las mejores prácticas para contratar nuevos empleados. Comprende la importancia de un proceso integral de orientación para empleados. Desarrolla estrategias para aumentar el desarrollo del liderazgo del personal. (GRATIS)

Nivel de conjunto: Uno
Categoría de Conocimientos Básicos: Gestión de programas

Idioma: Español

Regístrate

Suplentes de Cuidado Infantil de Oregon: Formando conexiones para apoyar el bienestar de las Comunidades de Oregon (Solo en Español)

Jueves 29 de enero de 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) con Bertha Camacho y Veronica Mendoza Ochoa

Esta sesión introduce a los participantes a los conceptos básicos del programa Suplentes del Cuidado Infantil de Oregon. (Child Care Substitutes of Oregon, CCSO por sus siglaes en inglés) que incluyen: Qué es CCSO, que programas son elegibles para los servicios de CCSO y cómo inscribirse, y cuáles son los requisitos para convertirse en un suplente de CCSO con consejos para aplicar. Durante esta capacitación, los participantes aprenderán qué es el programa de Suplentes del Cuidado Infantil en Oregon y cómo pueden utilizar este servicio para satisfacer las necesidades del programa. (GRATIS)

Nivel de conjunto: Uno
Categoría de Conocimientos Básicos: Gestión de programas

Idioma: Español

Regístrate

Developing a Marketing Plan for your Family Child Care (FCC) Business

Thursday, February 5, 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

Learn basic marketing principles and concepts to build your child care program brand. Complete an environmental scan. Identify features and benefits of a child care program. Analyze child care competitors. Identify strategies to build an effective message. Define the target market to secure future enrollment. Learn how to use marketing principles to secure community partnerships. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: One
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, & Chinese Interpretation available

Resumen de Spark Parte 1 (Solo en Español)

Martes 10 de febrero de 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) con Ivette Guevara

La primera parte de esta serie de dos sesiones presenta Spark de Oregón, el Sistema de Reconocimiento y Mejora de la Calidad (QRIS) del estado. Los participantes aprenderán sobre los objetivos de Spark, sus beneficios, los requisitos de elegibilidad y los pasos para participar. El objetivo de esta capacitación es preparar a los proveedores para tomar una decisión intencional sobre unirse a Spark e invertir en el crecimiento de la calidad de su programa. Después de esta capacitación, los proveedores interesados podrán inscribirse en Parte 2 Descripción General de Spark. (GRATIS)

Nivel de conjunto: Uno
Categoría de Conocimientos Básicos: Gestión de programas

Idioma: Español

Regístrate Ahora

Обзор Spark, часть 1

Среда, 11 февраля 2026 года
18:00-20:00 с Мариной Мини

Первая часть тренинга “Обзор программы Spark” призвана ознакомить специалистов дошкольного образования и ухода за детьми с работой программы Spark, Системой оценки и повышения качества дошкольных учреждений в штате Орегон. Участники узнают о целях и задачах работы Spark, преимуществах участия и имеющихся ресурсах. Цель тренинга — помочь участникам принять осознанное решение об участии в программе Spark. После прохождения первой части тренинга заинтересованные провайдеры смогут зарегистрироваться на тренинг «Обзор программы Spark. Часть 2». (БЕСПЛАТНО)

Язык: русский

Зарегистрироваться здесь

Child Care Substitutes of Oregon: Forming connections to support the well-being of Oregon's Communities

Thursday, February 12, 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with Bertha Camacho and Veronica Mendoza Ochoa

This session introduces participants to the Child Care Substitutes of Oregon (CCSO) program’s basics that include: What is CCSO, what programs are eligible for CCSO services and how to enroll, & what are the requirements to become a CCSO substitute with tips for applying. During this training, participants will learn what Child Care Substitutes of Oregon is and how they can potentially utilize this service to align with program needs.

ORO Set Level: One
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Language: English

Developing a Marketing Plan for your Family Child Care (FCC) Business

Thursday, February 19, 2026
6:00pm-9:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

To build your child care center brand, we will examine marketing principles and concepts for child care centers Complete an environmental scan. Identify features and benefits of a child care program. Analyze child care competitors. Identify strategies to build an effective message. Define the target market to secure future enrollment. Learn how to use marketing principles to secure community partnerships. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: One
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, & Chinese Interpretation available

Spark Overview Part 1

Thursday, February 19, 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with Lauren Peterson

Part one of this two-part series introduces Oregon’s Spark, state’s Quality Recognition and Improvement System (QRIS). Participants will learn about Spark’s goals, benefits, eligibility requirements, and steps to participate. The goal of this training is to prepare providers to make an intentional decision about joining Spark and investing in their program’s quality growth. After this training, interested providers will be able to sign up for Spark Overview Part 2. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: One
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English

The Owner-Director Disconnect: Closing the Gap To Boost Enrollment and Profits

Thursday, February 26, 2026
11:00am-12:30pm (PST) with Early Childhood Investigations Webinars

Too many child care programs lose money not because of a lack of demand, but because owners and directors aren’t aligned. When leadership teams lack a shared vision, the result can be under-enrollment, inconsistent practices, and financial strain. Boost financial sustainability by putting more money back into your program without sacrificing quality.

In this insightful session, child care program growth experts Kate Woodward Young and Carrie Casey will share proven strategies to bridge the gap between owners and directors so programs can thrive. You’ll learn how to foster alignment that empowers directors to manage profitably, enables owners to lead effectively, and allows entire teams to work toward sustainable success.

Whether you attend as an owner, a director, or as a leadership pair, you’ll leave with practical tools you can immediately apply to strengthen your program’s operations and bottom line. As a special bonus, you’ll also be invited to an upcoming three-hour masterclass designed to help you launch your summer programming profitably and set your team up for success all year long. (FREE)

Developing Scholarship and Tuition Assistance Programs

Thursday, March 5, 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

We will explore effective strategies for creating a tuition assistance program by analyzing five case studies. These case studies will prepare participant to apply practical approaches to developing an internal scholarship model for low-income families. Participants will also examine how to balance providing high-quality child care with managing the financial risks to the child care business. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: Two
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, & Chinese Interpretation available

When Tuition is not Enough: Fundraising for your Child Care Center (CCC)

Thursday, March 19, 2026
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

Center directors often find that tuition revenue alone doesn’t fully cover all expenses. In this session, participants will expand their knowledge by exploring six fundamental principles of fundraising for child care programs, identify and implement key strategies to kickstart a fund development plan for their child care centers. (FREE)

ORO Set Level: Two
Core Knowledge Category: Program Management (PM)

Languages: English, with Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, & Chinese Interpretation available

Business Supports for Expanding

If you are currently operating or want to become a child care business owner, there are resources available to support you. There are a number of investments made by DELC to support starting a child care business, the facility expansion of a current child care business, business sustainability planning, leadership development and strengthening business acumen.

First Children’s Finance

First Children's Finance (FCF) has been providing responsive business development services to child care and early learning businesses since 1991. FCF is recognized as a national thought leader on all topics related to child care businesses. FCF works directly with business owners and leaders in many states and two Native Nations that share the same geography as the United States.

In Oregon, FCF provides technical assistance and training to child care and early learning business owners and employers, including individualized consultation. Topics for technical assistance include, but are not limited to, business planning, retirement planning, budgeting practices, human resources and management, assessing multiple streams of public funding, and preparing for taxes, audits, and monitoring. FCF also provides Business Leadership Cohorts of child care entrepreneurs to support networking and peer-to-peer learning.

Northwest Native Chamber

The Northwest Native Chamber provides a range of technical assistance and business support services to help businesses succeed. Northwest Native Chamber can provide technical assistance to those interested in applying for the Child Care Infrastructure Fund (CCIF) in partnership with DELC and Business Oregon. Offerings include CCIF application assistance, budgeting and financial projections, business and market planning, CCIF project implementation, CCIF grant writing assistance, and access to services such as legal support, accounting, tax consultation, bookkeeping, employment and HR consulting, and capital access strategy development. Please reach out to CCIFSupport@NWNC.org to get started!

Oregon Child Care Alliance

The Oregon Child Care Alliance (OCCA) is a Shared Services Alliance that is operated through Neighborhood House with funding from Ford Family Foundation and the Oregon Community Foundation and work in collaboration with CCR&R Business Coaches funded by DELC. The goal of this work is to provide business supports and business coaching for child care business owners and early learning programs. The OCCA pools together multiple resources to support child care business owners: including tax training, discounts on tax preparation, business and computer training, HR support, free mental health care, early education curriculum, and assistance with obtaining a SPARK rating.

Shared Services offered in 17 counties across Oregon, in Spanish and English. Visit our website to see if we are offering services in your location: www.oregonchildcarealliance.org
7 regional CCR&Rs receive funding to work directly with the OCCA, allowing CCR&Rs to support child care and early learning businesses through business coaching and trainings.
The OCCA invites childcare business owners to join this free program, offered at no cost. Participants will receive 2 years free financial management software in Brightwheel or WonderSchool, participation in a network with their peers, one-on-one business consultation with their assigned coach, and other resources that increase and maintain program’s enrollment, maximize on collecting full tuition and setting rates that help the program cover their true costs.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)

Oregon is also home to the Oregon SBDC Network with service centers located throughout the state. Although these centers are not funded by DELC, nor focused solely on child care and early learning businesses, they provide no-cost confidential one-on-one advising, affordable business training, and other valuable resources for those interested in building their business skills and practices. The Oregon SBDC Network's regional centers often partner with the CCR&Rs in their area, and work to understand the specific business needs of early learning and care programs.

Need temporary Early Learning Staff Support?

Child Care Substitutes of Oregon works around the state to recruit, screen, hire, and train a pool of qualified substitutes that become available to work in child care programs in their community. Eligible child care programs who register with CCSO will have access to up to 50 state-funded hours of a qualified substitute’s time to support their program’s needs. To register as a program with CCSO start here.

Three full-time regional educators positions will be available soon. For more information visit the Child Care Substitutes of Oregon website at https://childcaresubsor.org/ or view the substitute job description.