Child Care House
A Proven Model for Child Care Capacity that Strengthens Local Economies
When traditional child care centers or organic growth are not emerging, Child Care House offers a practical, right-sized solution to expand licensed child care quickly, sustainably, and with visible community impact.
“This isn’t a grant. It’s an infrastructure asset.”
— Mayor Jeff Annis, Mapleton MN
What is Child Care House?
Child Care House is a turnkey, license-ready solution that creates high-quality child care capacity in rural and small-town communities.
- Residential-scale, fitting into neighborhoods while meeting all licensing standards
- Purpose-built for compliance, with safe, efficient spaces designed for child care use
- Turnkey and fundable, so communities can move quickly from idea to action
- Sustainable, with first-year coaching and supports to help providers succeed
Why the Child Care House Exists?
Small towns and rural communities were never built with child care infrastructure. Even when leaders and funders are ready, zoning restrictions, startup costs, and lack of licensed facilities block progress.
Recurring Challenges Include:
- Mayors with land but no implementable model
- Providers eager but unable to license or lease space
- Schools losing enrollment as families relocate for child care
- Funders ready to invest without a delivery system
from Idea to Stability
The Process at a Glance
Align & Plan
Build clarity and alignment, confirming readiness with a decision-ready plan.
Activate & Prepare
Secure funding, site, and provider through a turnkey community process.
Build & Launch
Complete construction of a residential-scale, license-ready structure.
First-Year Support
Provide targeted coaching and supply supports for long-term stability.
Who it’s For — And What it Delivers
Community Leaders
$12M+ in local economic activity over 20 years
Employers
$180K+ annual return per 10 employees stabilized
Child Care Providers
$30K–$75K annual provider income
Families & Children
$28K+ wages and $17K+ time value preserved annually per family
Supporting Partners (Funders & Collaboratives)
$500K+ annual household wages supported per unit
Why it Matters for Everyone
Child Care House starts with community leaders but delivers benefits across the board:
- Employers: Stronger workforce and recruitment
- Families: Stability, opportunity, and quality of life
- Providers: Sustainable small business in a licensed space
Child Care House is a community asset, built for leaders and designed to deliver benefits that touch everyone.
Flagship Showcase: Mapleton, Minnesota
Mapleton is home to the first Child Care House project. Community leaders secured funding, and Tiny Roots Childcare has been selected as the operator.
Opening Fall 2025, Mapleton’s Child Care House will:
- Add licensed child care slots for local families
- Create a sustainable small business for the provider
- Strengthen workforce participation for employers
- Demonstrate how civic leadership solves long-standing challenges
Community Briefing
The Community Briefing is the first step for every community.
It provides:
- What Child Care House is and how it works
- High-level cost and ownership options
- Expected economic and workforce impact
- Clear next steps for leaders ready to explore
Who Makes It Happen
Child Care House is not built by chance—it’s delivered by a coordinated system of contributors, each selected for what they do and how they do it. This is not a bundle of vendors. It’s a pre-aligned delivery team that ensures every site becomes a functioning, licensing-ready infrastructure asset from day one.
These are the people and partners who make it happen.
Leads the full lifecycle of every Child Care House deployment—from early-stage community alignment and site readiness to provider onboarding and first-year stabilization. As the system owner and operational lead, Business of Child Care ensures that every contributor is sequenced, every milestone is met, and the full delivery model holds true to its structure.
Identifies, evaluates, and secures build-ready sites with licensing-aligned real estate strategy—coordinating land acquisition, site prep, and infrastructure compatibility across all projects.
Supports architectural planning for each deployment by ensuring the standard Child Care House unit is appropriately matched to its site conditions and licensing requirements. While the structure itself remains fixed, My Strange Design helps coordinate layout placement, orientation, and any necessary enhancements to ensure the model fits within regulatory and environmental context without compromising fidelity.
Equips each Child Care House with startup materials and furnishings—delivering licensing-aligned learning environments and restocking kits that keep classrooms functional and compliant through the first year.
Designs and installs outdoor play environments that meet safety codes and licensing standards—ensuring each site includes a developmentally rich, physical play experience.
Delivers the final layer of operational readiness—completing each Child Care House with smart home systems, safety infrastructure, appliances, and interior environmental features. This includes camera-ready wiring, thermostatic controls, and durable fixture installation.
Interested in contributing to deployment?
We welcome inquiries from local trades, finish contractors, and regional allies looking to support the delivery of Child Care House units in their communities. If you’re part of a civic intermediary, infrastructure provider, or interested in model distribution across your state or region, reach out anytime: info@businessofchildcare.com
Start Your Journey Today
Child Care House is a proven model that transforms how communities solve child care shortages. It is most valuable when traditional approaches are not happening and leaders need a path forward.