???????? Recap: Child Care Community Conversation Tackles Challenges in North Port ??

On November 19, North Port Forward, a local non-profit community organization, hosted a powerful Child Care Community Conversation at the Shannon Staub Library.? This event was geared towards business owners, community leaders and residents to address the critical issue of child care in our city.

With North Port and our surrounding region recognized as a Child Care Desert, this conversation addressed a pressing issue for families, employers and the broader community.?

Highlights of the Evening

This community conversation featured distinguished speakers who shared invaluable insights:

??Janet Kahn, CEO of the Early Learning Coalition (ELC) of Sarasota County, outlined how the ELC is fulfilling its mission to prepare children for lifelong success through quality early learning.

??Ana McClendon, Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the ELC of Sarasota County, emphasized the importance of community partnerships in ensuring all families have the support they need to thrive.

??Brittany Lamont, Chair of the ELC's Childcare Business Task Force, provided updates on innovative solutions, including Florida’s new Child Care Tax Credit designed to incentivize businesses to support childcare for employees.

??Vinnie Mascarenhas, Business Attraction and Development Administrator for the City of North Port, discussed the economic impacts of child care accessibility, efforts the City of North Port is making to address this crisis and opportunities for local businesses to help their employees.

The Role of the Early Learning Coalition

The ELC plays a transformative role in Sarasota County, administering a comprehensive system of early education for children aged 0-5. Annually, the organization:

??Serves over 4,000 children and supports 155 child care providers.

??Offers financial assistance to income-eligible families, ensuring access

to high-quality care.

??Manages the Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program (VPK), which provides free preschool education for all four-year-olds, regardless of income, to enhance kindergarten readiness.

??Provides training and resources to early care teachers, improving education.

Exploring Florida’s New Child Care Tax Credit for Businesses

One of the evening’s key topics was Florida’s new Child Care Tax Credit. This groundbreaking initiative encourages businesses to invest in child care solutions for their employees, such as:

??Subsidizing child care costs for employees.

??Offering on-site child care facilities or partnerships with local providers.

??Supporting child care accessibility for working parents.

This tax credit is designed to alleviate the financial burden of child care for families while empowering businesses to attract and retain top talent. It’s a win-win solution that strengthens both families and the workforce.

The Work Continues

This Community Conversation underscored the importance of collaboration in addressing the region’s child care crisis. By working together, North Port Forward, the ELC of Sarasota County and local stakeholders are committed to ensuring that all children have a strong foundation for learning and families have the resources they need to succeed.

The City of North Port’s historic rewrite of the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC), which went into effect on October 28, represents a transformative step toward fostering a more development-friendly environment for early learning providers. This comprehensive update streamlines zoning, approvals and development processes for early learning centers to establish themselves in North Port.

As part of this effort, the City’s Economic Development Division is prioritizing early learning providers in its business attraction strategy, particularly in Activity Centers and along Corridor Transitional zones created in the ULDC. These areas are designed to facilitate mixed-use developments and essential services, ensuring accessibility and convenience for North Port’s young workforce.

By enabling parents to drop their children off at a quality early learning center close to home and work, this well-coordinated approach addresses the city’s child care desert challenge as a critical workforce issue. With thoughtful planning and targeted action, North Port is paving the way for a more vibrant community where families and businesses can thrive together.

Information | Resources

?? For more information on Florida’s new Child Care Tax Credit for Businesses, administered by the Florida Department of Revenue and took effect on October 1, please visit: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/taxesfees/Pages/childcare.aspx

?? More information from Florida Chamber of Commerce, A Guide for Employers: Florida’s Child Care Tax Credit, here: https://www.flchamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Employer-Guide-to-Child-Care-Tax-Credit.pdf?

??On-Site Child Care Facilities:

If a business opens an on-site childcare facility for employees, the new law offers tax credits of up to $3,600 dollars per employee, plus a separate credit covering 50 percent of the startup costs.

??Community-Based Child Care Support:

Businesses that contribute to childcare costs for employees at community-based early learning facilities may also receive tax credits.

Larger businesses can access higher overall credits.

?? For more information about the ELC of Sarasota County's programs, visit https://elcsarasota.org ?

City of North Port | Economic Development Division, 4970 City Hall Blvd., North Port, Florida 34286, United States of America | (941) 429-7029 | [email protected]