Introducing BuildUp Oregon

In early 2022, SVP initiated and incubated the Child Care Facilities Initiative (CCFI), with the goal of shifting the Portland-metro child care facilities market to more efficiently and effectively connect supply and demand with minimal subsidies and interventions. This initiative was born from the recognition of the many entrenched challenges and barriers for child care providers in Multnomah County that want to expand or establish new facilities. 

We’re thrilled to share that CCFI is now a part of the newly launched BuildUp Oregon! BuildUp Oregon is a collaborative of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that have joined forces to help build a more child-centered society by preserving, improving, and expanding child care facilities throughout the state.

BuildUp Oregon will provide facilities funding and expert guidance to providers, child care centers, and affordable housing developers looking to preserve or increase slots through either Multnomah County’s Preschool for All program, or a facility co-located within affordable housing anywhere in the state.

This work is imperative, as the current state of child care in Oregon is dire. In Multnomah County, there are over 30,000 children under the age of six who live in families where all parents work, but there are only 11,792 child care spots available at licensed facilities. BuildUp Oregon believes, and we agree, that child care is critical for a functioning economy, and is an exceptional investment we can make as a community.