Business & Economic Leaders
“Nebraska’s businesses have been working with community partners to close the gap in available child care beginning well before the pandemic. But the consequences of COVID-19 may now have once again widened that gap. Simply put, if parents don’t have a place they can trust to care for their kids, they will not be able to help re-energize and strengthen our state’s economy coming out of the pandemic.”
— Bryan Slone | President, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
A driver for business and economic development
Nebraska ranks among the top four states in the nation for the percentage of children under age 6 who have all available parents in the workforce. Yet, about 91% of Nebraska counties lack sufficient child care options to meet local demands. Left unaddressed, this gap can stifle economic opportunity for families by keeping parents out of the workforce, undercut employer productivity and make it difficult for communities to attract and retain business and industry. These gaps also weaken the talent development pipeline we need to grow a highly skilled and marketable future workforce.
Business and economic leadership is key
It’s good business when employers, chambers of commerce and economic development corporations play a crucial role in strengthening Nebraska’s early childhood infrastructure. As an influential and respected community leader, you are well positioned to bring valuable expertise and resources to public-private efforts to make high-quality child care and other early childhood programs more available in your community and across the state.
Bottom Line
Pre-COVID-19, gaps in Nebraska’s child care infrastructure cost the state nearly $1.4 billion in direct and multiplied economic losses each year. View Bottom Line Report
Featured Publications
Public awareness campaign launches to educate Nebraskans about new child care tax credits
First Five Nebraska (FFN) today kicked off a public education campaign promoting the Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax Credit. The refundable and nonrefundable tax credits are designed to help address key challenges facing child care providers and the...
Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit highlights child care crisis
Child care was featured alongside housing in a panel discussion and was the subject of one of four Action Hour conversations at the 2024 Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit in Kearney on August 8. The lack of available child care throughout Nebraska...
New cost estimation tool examines cost of providing quality child care
The Nebraska Child Care Cost Model, a new tool developed in collaboration with First Five Nebraska and Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies (P5FS), examines how the expense of delivering high-quality child care services relates to the actual revenue earned by providers....
LB856 would increase child care worker recruitment and retention
State Senator John Fredrickson, representing District 20 in central west Omaha, introduced LB856, which excludes all earned and unearned income for child care subsidy applications if the applicant or household member is self-employed at a licensed child care program...
FFN 2024 priority legislation focuses on child care, maternal health, literacy, home visiting
The Second Session of the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened January 3 for a 60-day session. In his State of the State address to lawmakers, Governor Pillen prioritized property taxes, regulatory barriers and affordable housing, and also emphasized the importance of...
Apprenticeships can help build Nebraska’s early childhood workforce
Tracy Gordon is executive director of the Nebraska Association for the Education of Young Children (Nebraska AEYC). She testified before the Nebraska Legislature's Education Committee December 1, 2023, on LR251, an interim study introduced by State Senator Robert...
The Latest on the Blog
Public awareness campaign launches to educate Nebraskans about new child care tax credits
First Five Nebraska (FFN) today kicked off a public education campaign promoting the Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax Credit. The refundable and nonrefundable tax credits are designed to help address key challenges facing child care providers and the...
Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit highlights child care crisis
Child care was featured alongside housing in a panel discussion and was the subject of one of four Action Hour conversations at the 2024 Governor’s Ag & Economic Development Summit in Kearney on August 8. The lack of available child care throughout Nebraska...