F5SMC Child Care Facilities

In December 2024, the Commission updated its Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, which will guide the Commission’s priorities and investments. The 2025-2030 Strategic Plan is consistent with the focus and intent of the Children and Families Act, building on what has been learned and accomplished locally and providing a framework for the Commission and the community for how Proposition 10 funds will be strategically invested over the next five years. Central to the success of these investments is a strong foundation that adequately prioritizes early childhood systems and services in San Mateo County. As outlined in its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, First 5 San Mateo County is prioritizing partnerships with entities that are achieving both direct impact and positive systemic change. This approach fosters sustainable improvement within agencies and systems, and allows families beyond the direct service reach to benefit. Many of our investments serve present needs as well as examining and improving the underlying systems. Through this RFA for Child Care Facilities F5SMC welcomes proposals from qualified entities with direct experience leading childcare facilities preservation, enhancements, and development. Qualified applicants may include fiscally sponsored initiatives, community- based (501)(c)(3) organizations, coalitions, and collaboratives. F5SMC is interested in applicants who exhibit expertise in providing services and will work collaboratively with F5SMC. Desired Outcomes Successful applicants in response to this RFA will demonstrate how they would help F5SMC achieve the relevant desired outcomes in the strategic plan: Communities provide a safe and healthy environment for young children. Children have timely and affordable access to high-quality early care and education settings. In service of these larger strategic outcomes, F5SMC anticipates that funding this work will positively impact population- and participant-level indicators such as: The available supply of infant and toddler care relative to the need in San Mateo County. The number of early learning facilities maintained, expanded, or in the pipeline for San Mateo County. Service Strategies & Domains In particular, this RFA is intended to identify applicants to: 1) advance policy, advocacy and resources 2) weave partnerships and initiatives to grow and preserve child care spaces and improve children’s access to quality care environments and 3) maintain data on the number of child care spaces grown, preserved, and maintained and other metrics of the applicant with the aim of supporting quality care and education and local systems change. Areas of Interest Data collection and tracking of child care facility preservation, enhancing or new sites/developments including city, the county, and municipalities’ contributions and policy approaches. Improvement or expansion of indoor and outdoor spaces including Climate Action strategies Fund development planning, leveraging and or securing funding for capital projects. Target Populations Infant & Toddler Spaces Family Child Care Homes Priority zip codes and/or communities based on the Child Care Partnership Council 2025 Supply & Demand Analysis Report. Settings accepting vouchers (subsidies) and/or sliding scale fees for families. Funding Amount and Available Term First 5 SMC has allocated a maximum of $300,000 over 3 fiscal years (2025-26, 2026-27, 2027-28) to meet the goals and objectives detailed in this RFA term August 1 s t , 2025-through June 30, 2028 (FY 2025-26, FY 2026-27, FY 2027-28) .