Business Development Resources for Providers and Educators
Family child care homes and child care centers are important small businesses in the City of Los Angeles. The below resources are here to help family child care homes and child care centers build and maintain strong, long-lasting businesses.
Business Resources By Topic
Comprehensive Business Support
Resource & Referral agencies (R&Rs) (Child Care Tailored Resource)
Resource & Referral agencies (R&Rs) are publicly funded community-based organizations that connect families to child care and support local child care providers, including in their business needs. To get connected to the R&R that serves your area, type in your business zip code on the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network website, or call the statewide hotline at 1-800-KIDS-793.
Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) (Family Child Care Home Resource)
Child Care Initiative Project (CCIP) is a statewide initiative to increase and strengthen licensed family child care homes in the community. CCIP helps providers start up or expand family child care homes and offers training, technical support, and targeted resources. Ask your local R&R about CCIP or enter your information on the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network’s CCIP landing page to get connected.
BusinessSource Centers (City Resource)
EWDD’s BusinessSource Centers offer free services to Angeleno business owners and entrepreneurs to help small businesses succeed. Services and programs include one-on-one consultations, trainings, and information on accessing capital. Services are available in Spanish, Armenian, French, Korean, Mandarin, Russian and Vietnamese, depending on the location.Find a BusinessSource Center near you to get started.
LA Business Portal (City Resource)
EWDD’s LA Business Portal is a comprehensive website with content on planning, starting, managing, and growing businesses. Find the LA Business Portal here.
Los Angeles Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network
Los Angeles SBDC Network has centers throughout Los Angeles County to provide customized free business advising, training, and resources to help start, run, and expand a small business. Learn more on the LA SBDC Network website.
Women’s Business Centers (WBCs)
From the U.S. Small Business Administration, WBCs are local hubs for women entrepreneurs to access free and low-cost counseling, training, and resources. WBCs exist to support women who want to start and grow small businesses. Find your nearest WBC on the Small Business Administration website.
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
The MBDA operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce and supports businesses owned and operated by African Americans, Asian Americans, Hasidic Jews, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. The MBDA operates a national network of Business Centers. PACE Business Development Center operates the Los Angeles MBDA Business Center, whose services include one-on-one counseling, technical assistance, small business certifications assistance, and more. Find the Los Angeles MBDA Business Center on the PACE website.
Economic Mobility Initiative
The County of Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity’s Economic Mobility Initiative offers free individualized support for LA County small business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. The hub offers comprehensive business support through local community-based organizations that provide services and resources including individualized technical assistance, training, entrepreneurship academies, and access to capital.
Open Air Economy Collaborative
The Open Air Economy Collaborative provides holistic business supports such as micro-loans, business coaching, legal assistance, and financial education to Black and Latina women micro-entrepreneurs working to formalize and sustain their small businesses in Los Angeles. These integrated services support micro-entrepreneurs, like family child care providers, to build and grow strong businesses. To learn more and apply for services, visit the Open Air Economy Collaborative website.
Capital and Financing
Learn about small business loans, credit and debt counseling, and more opportunities from organizations like the Economic and Workforce Development Department and U.S. Small Business Administration over on our Financial Resources for Providers page.
Certifications
Legacy Business Program (City Resource)
The Legacy Business Program, created by the Los Angeles City Council, Mayor Karen Bass, and the EWDD, is an initiative to support the visibility and sustainability of long-standing Legacy Businesses with benefits such as technical assistance, promotional support, and access to grants and loans. A “Legacy Business” is defined as a business open to the public that has been in operation in the same community for 20 or more years. To register as a City of LA Legacy Business and get notified of new opportunities, visit the LA Legacy Business Program website. To find more information, including eligibility criteria and informational webinars, visit the Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) website.
Los Angeles’s Bureau of Contract Administration (BCA) (City Resource)
The City of Los Angeles’s BCA administers City of LA business certifications at no cost. Certifications administered by the City include the Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certifications. BCA also recognizes certifications administered by other agencies. Child care businesses may wish to get certified to strengthen their appeal to families or to get bid preference when contracting with the City. Businesses can hold multiple certifications. Learn more about the City’s certification program and external certifying agencies on the Bureau of Contract Administration website.
Employment Supports
WorkSource Centers (City Resource)
EWDD’s WorkSource Centers provide free employment support to both jobseekers and employers. WorkSource centers can support child care employers and entrepreneurs in advertising and recruiting for positions, interviewing and screening candidates, and training new hires. Find a WorkSource Center near you.
America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC)
AJCC's are administered by the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity and provide free workforce services to businesses, nonprofits, and micro-enterprises. Their services include subsidies to train employees and support with workforce challenges, recruitment, employment law compliance, and tax credits. Find an LA County AJCC location to get started.
Legal
Child Care Law Center (Child Care Tailored Resource)
Child Care Law Center provides information for California’s child care providers on their rights when it comes to business ownership, housing for home-based providers, and other legal topics.
Public Counsel (Child Care Tailored Resource)
A nonprofit law firm working to strengthen racial and economic justice. Its Early Care and Education Law Unit offers free legal assistance and supports for home-based child care providers and nonprofit child care centers, including helping them navigate contracts and employment laws. Public Counsel also hosts law-related trainings for child care providers. Learn more on Public Counsel’s ECE Law Unit webpage and sign up for Public Counsel’s newsletter. You can also search Public Counsel’s resources for child care providers, which include resources like a Sample Parent-Provider Contract and information on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
LA Regional Small Business Legal Aid Program (City Resource)
EWDD’s LA Regional Small Business Legal Aid Program offers free representation, legal assistance, and legal education to qualifying small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program can assist with drafting and reviewing leases and contracts, employment law, eviction protection, and business structure.
My Child Care Plan is a state-run resource where families can search for child care available near them. Child care businesses can claim their public profile on My Child Care Plan to market their business by posting photos and program information and advertising open seats. Learn how on the My Child Care Plan website.
Shop Local LA initiative
The County of Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity’s Shop Local LA initiative supports LA County’s small businesses and offers an overview of business resources on their webpage. One of their programs, Digital Skills LA, equips small and micro businesses with the skills to thrive in the digital age. In addition to live workshops, Digital Skills LA is home to Digital50, where 50 small and micro-businesses will be chosen to receive one-on-one coaching on strengthening their website, online marketing, and social media strategy. Learn more about Digital Skills LA on the Shop Local LA website and sign up at the bottom of the Shop Local Business Hub page to receive information and updates on LA County’s small business supports.
Mentorship
SCORE
SCORE is a nonprofit network of volunteer expert business mentors that provide no-cost, area-specific, remote advice to small businesses. SCORE also provides training, workshops and webinars, and other online resources. Get connected to a SCORE mentor and find workshops on the SCORE Los Angeles website.
Opening and Operating
Starting Strong Toolkit (Child Care Tailored City Resource)
CIFD has developed a comprehensive toolkit that walks providers through the steps for opening or expanding their child care programs in the City of LA. Check out the Starting Strong toolkit here.
Child Care Technical Assistance Network (Child Care Tailored Resource)
Child Care Technical Assistance Network offers a national resource guide on starting up and operating child care businesses (English, Spanish). Learn about choosing a type of child care business, licensing requirements, business plans, and more.
Child Care Aware of America (Child Care Tailored Resource)
Child Care Aware of America offers guides on opening and operating child care centers and family child care homes where they cover key steps and considerations.
California Department of Social Services (CDSS) (Child Care Tailored Resource)
CDSS is the licensing body for licensed child care programs and has created educational videos for providers on topics in starting up and operating child care programs. Watch these videos on whether opening a family child careorchild care center is right for you.
Taking Care of Business blog (Family Child Care Home Resource)
Taking Care of Business blog offers business management resources in English and Spanish for family child care providers. Visit the Resource page on the Taking Care of Business website for a list of their most helpful materials, including information on record keeping, contracts, marketing, and retirement planning, all written for family child care providers.
Business Response Unit (City Resource)
EWDD’s Business Response Unit is available to provide help to businesses in the City of Los Angeles that have questions on the City’s business requirements and incentives. Get connected to the Business Response Unit here.
Digital Tools
Quality Start Los Angeles (Child Care Tailored Resource)
Get familiar with the tech you may come across as a child care provider. Quality Start Los Angeles offers quick guides on digital tools. Find them on the QSLA website.
