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, and for those who already are connected with a business. (see Shared Services/Child Care Alliance)
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 new insights that can help them improve their practice and advance their careers, has a significant impact on the development and future success of the students in their care and can develop the confidence and knowledge to support children with diverse backgrounds, needs, and abilities.

Training is available from a variety of sources in 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 trainings and webinars:

Writing a Child Care Business Plan – Family Child Care and Child Care Centers (FCC/CCC)

Wednesdays 10/15, 10/22, 10/29*
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

*You must register for and attend all 3 sessions to receive a completion certificate and ORO training credit.

Master the fundamentals of crafting a comprehensive business plan with this three-part series for both Family Child Care (FCC) and Child Care Center (CCC) business owners. Utilizing the FCF Business Plan Writing Framework, you'll develop a childcare business plan that addresses elements such as mission statements, creating marketing messages, financial management, budgeting, competitor analysis, operations, and more. A business plan is an essential in supporting applications for loans or grant opportunities. ORO CKC: PM, Set Two (FREE)

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

Registration Links:

Find Child Care Oregon: A Tool for your Business

Wednesday 10/15/25
6:00pm-7:30pm (PST) with Dustyn Jones

Participants will gain an understanding regarding the importance of Find Child Care Oregon (Oregon’s referral system) and some core business practices to engage in the digital age as people search for child care. ORO CKC: PM, Set One (FREE)

Language: English

FCCO: Portal de Proveedores; Una herramienta para su negocio

Jueves, 16 de Octubre de 2025
6:00pm-7:30pm (PST) con Kathryn Hetu

Los participantes comprenderán la importancia de Find Child Care Oregon (Sistema de referencia de Oregon) y algunas prácticas comerciales fundamentales para participar en la era digital a medida que las familias buscan Cuidado infantile. Gestión de Programas, Set 1 (GRATIS)

Language: Español (Spanish)

Adults Must Feel Safe to Learn: Adult Learning Principles Series

Wednesday 10/22/25
12:00pm-1:30pm (PST) with Kiki Omoto and Jasmin Rivera

Would you like to create learning spaces that feel more meaningful and engaging? Join us to examine the motivation behind providing safe learning spaces for adult learners. In this session, participants will engage in reflection and application of practices that promote safe learning environments for adults. ORO CKC: PPLD, Set Two (FREE)

Language: English

How compliance impacts your program’s value – and it does!

Thursday 10/23/25
11:00am-12:30pm (PST) with Early Childhood Investigations Webinars

In this laser-focused webinar, Lynn Wenger, Founder of The Compliance Alliance, and Jessica Hobbs, Compliance Operations Strategist, will share how compliance directly impacts the value and success of your early education program .Whether you’re scaling with new locations or preparing for an exit, understanding compliance is key. Learn how strong compliance practices can enhance your valuation, reduce risk, and drive operational value. We’ll cover the minimum non-negotiable compliance practices every program needs to safeguard its reputation and compliance health. Don’t miss this opportunity to align your compliance strategy with your business goals.

Planificando para el Futuro: Presupuesto Anual y Proyecciones de Flujo de Caja – Cuidado Infantil Familiar (FCC)

Jueves, 30 de Octubre de 2025
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) con First Children’s Finance

Aprenda conceptos básicos de presupuesto. Explore las secciones de ingresos y gastos de un presupuesto. Analice el propósito de un presupuesto y los diferentes tipos que existen. Comprenda la importancia de proyectar el flujo de caja. Revise las secciones de un estado de flujo de caja. Analice un estudio de caso de un negocio de cuidado infantil para identificar estrategias que ayuden a manejar el flujo de caja. Identifique estrategias para administrar el flujo de caja utilizando los recursos de gestión empresarial de First Children’s Finance. ORO CKC: Gestión de Programas, Set 2 (GRATIS)

Language: Español (Spanish)

Planning for the Future: Annual Budget & Cash Flow Projections – Family Child Care (FCC)

Thursday 11/6/25
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

Learn basic budgeting concepts. Explore income and expense sections of a budget. Discuss the purpose of budgeting and the different types of budgets. Understand the purpose of projecting cash flow. Break down the sections of a cash flow statement. Analyze a child care business case study to identify strategies to manage cash flow. Identify strategies to manage cash flow using First Children’s Finance business management resources. ORO CKC: PM, Set One (FREE)

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

I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss: Handbooks, Evaluations, Meetings, Oh My...

Monday 11/10/25
6:00pm-9:00pm (PST) with Rhonda Schock

Participants will explore program management processes/systems that focus on staff handbooks, job descriptions, holding staff meetings, evaluations, and appreciation. ORO CKC: PM, Set Two ($20)

Language: English

Unlock Your Marketing Knowledge to Boost Your Child Care Business

Wednesday 11/12/25
5:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with NeighborImpact Child Care Resources and Britany Seale

In this training we will be diving deep into different marketing concepts and examining how they could be beneficial to you and your business. Apply your knowledge to real life by creating a custom marketing plan through different activities. You will discuss concepts with peers and work on your own marketing plan. ORO CKC: PM, Set Two (FREE)

Language: English

The New Supervisor Survival Guide for Success and Beyond

Thursday 11/13/25
11:00am-12:30pm (PST) with Early Childhood Investigations Webinars

In this interactive and supportive webinar, led by CEO of the Early Childhood Coach, Anisha Angella, you’ll gain practical tools and real-world strategies to help you confidently step into leadership. We’ll explore what it truly means to lead in ECE, starting with how to build meaningful connections with your team, children, and families. You’ll learn how to communicate with clarity and confidence, navigate challenges, and create a positive team culture — even in those moments when things feel tough.

Discover key skills and mindsets that support new supervisors in early learning settings.
Build strategies for leading strong relationships with staff, children, and families.
Strengthen communication approaches to foster trust and team collaboration.
Identify early signs of burnout and explore tools for prevention and well-being.
Clarify your leadership identity and next steps for continued growth.

Adults Need to Know WHY We Have to Learn Something: The what, why and how of making learning relevant for adult learners

Wednesday 11/19/25
12:00pm-1:30pm (PST) with Jasmin Rivera & Nataly Garcia-Deras

Are you curious about how to create the conditions for adult learner buy-in? If so, join us to explore and practice strategies that generate and foster learner motivation. ORO CKC: PPLD, Set Two (FREE)

Language: English

Planning for the Future: Annual Budget & Cash Flow Projections – Child Care Centers (CCC)

Thursday 11/20/25
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

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

Planning for the Future: Accounting and Financial Statements – Family Child Care (FCC)

Thursday 12/4/25
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

We will examine essential accounting terms and review key financial statements. Using a family child care case study, we’ll analyze the financial health of a child care business and apply insights to participants' own centers. Additionally, we’ll develop strategies for leveraging financial statements to make informed business decisions. ORO CKC: PM, Set Two (FREE)

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

Develop an Amazing Team: Recruit, Select, Engage, Coach and Retain the Best

Wednesday 12/17/25
6:00pm-9:00pm (PST) with Amy Williams

Create an interview tool that helps you select professionals who can give you just what your school needs. Develop a plan to effectively, firmly and fairly coach the members of your team. Give them inspiration, skills and the drive to serve your families and children. This will build a cohesive, happy, motivated team. Evaluate and implement staff training and development plans that supports higher school goals. And finally, leave with ideas on how to keep the great members of your team for the long term. ORO CKC: PPLD, Set Two ($20)

Language: English

Planning for the Future: Accounting and Financial Statements – Child Care Centers (CCC)

Thursday 12/18/25
6:00pm-8:00pm (PST) with First Children's Finance

We will examine essential accounting terms and review key financial statements. Using a child care case study, we’ll analyze the financial health of a child care business and apply insights to participants' own centers. Additionally, we’ll develop strategies for leveraging financial statements to make informed business decisions. ORO CKC: PM, Set Two (FREE)

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

From Idea to Launch: Starting Your Early Childhood Business the Right Way

Thursday 1/15/26
11:00am-12:30pm (PST) with Early Childhood Investigations Webinars

Are you considering starting an early childhood business? Let's learn how to take your small business from the idea phase to launch. In this session presented by business consultant, website designer, and trainer, Chelsea Denny from Early Childhood Creative, you’ll learn the steps required to set up your for-profit business and make it official. Topics covered include business entities, insurance, financials, marketing, and more.

You'll leave this session with a better understanding of what is required to form your for-profit business legally and how to protect yourself from liability. You'll also understand what is considered best practice in operating a new business and what the most common mistakes are. .

Business Supports for Expanding

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

Child Care Substitutes of Oregon (substitute pool)

Finding skilled, affordable, and qualified substitutes for early learning businesses is a

challenge. In recognition of this challenge, in 2022, the Department of Early Learning and Care funded The Research Institute at Western Oregon University to develop and implement the Child Care Substitutes of Oregon (CCSO) program.

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.

Child Care Substitutes of Oregon is a first-of-its-kind in the state: Focusing on increasing equitable resources for programs by hiring diverse substitutes, to sustain high-quality child care throughout the state by supporting substitutes and child care programs in their personal and professional lives. Ongoing recruitment for both substitutes and child care programs continues to happen to serve different regions across the state. To meet the diverse needs of child care programs across Oregon, CCSO is targeting recruitment of substitutes who speak languages other than English, serve rural counties and/or are qualified to work with infants and toddlers.

The Provider Advisory Committee, which is made up of child care business owners in partnership with local Child Care Resource & Referral agencies (CCR&R) are essential for the success of this program. By providing insight and feedback regarding the development of the program to support Oregon’s child care providers, families and children.

To view the substitute job description, click 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/

(updated March 2024)