The Problem is Real

So is our plan to address it.

A woman playing with a child at a table.

Child care is a necessity.

Child care is necessary for the vast majority of working families and, in turn, for a functioning economy. It is by far the best return on any investment we can make as a society. Yet, early care and education is historically underfunded and taken for granted.

The current state of child care in Oregon is dire, with the demand greatly out-stripping the supply.

The Shortfall

Between available care and local demand

There is a shortfall of 17,982 child care seats in Multnomah County, measured by the difference between the number of resident Multnomah children under 6 years old with all parents in the workforce and the estimated number of licensed seats.

A finer-grained analysis (map at right) shows that 157 of 197 census tracts in the county have more children living in those census tracts who may need care than available seats.

Visit our interactive StoryMap to see all the data we’ve collected around the urgent need for more child care in Multnomah County.

BuildUp Oregon is bridging the gap.

We are providing facilities funding and expert guidance to providers, child care centers, and affordable housing developers looking to help meet the need for more and better child care seats and facilities across Oregon.

Fund Your Project

A man sitting on the floor surrounded by children.

News and Stories

Dig deeper into the success stories and impact of BuildUp Oregon, hear from other voices in the child care community, and get the latest news on funding, and more on our blog.

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Grand Opening of Elm Park Learning Center Creates 60 Child Care Seats in Florence, OR

Elm Park Learning Center addresses affordable housing and child care under one development, all in all 60 child care seats.

Preschool for All Facilities Fund Reopens — Join Our Informational Webinar

Interest forms have reopened. Learn about BuildUp Oregon program updates by joining our informational webinar.

BuildUp Oregon Announces Expanded Role for LIIF

We’re excited to share that Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) will take on a larger role in our BuildUp Oregon partnership, helping us build capacity.

1,267 New Child Care Seats Funded In Our First 15 Months

Since March 2024, BuildUp Oregon has committed $30.8 million to ECE facilities projects, resulting in 1,267 new child care seats across the state.

$7.4 Million Committed To Expand Early Care and Education Statewide

BUO and OHCS commit funds to 9 projects that co-locate early care and education with affordable housing developments across Oregon.

Building Better Futures - Policy Opportunities in Early Care and Education

Thoughtful, well-informed policies are key to transforming ECE environments throughout Oregon and for creating a solid foundation for our children

Multnomah County, BuildUp Oregon launch Preschool for All Facilities Fund

Preschool for All and BuildUp Oregon are announcing the launch of a new Facilities Fund aimed at supporting early childhood education providers.

Delve deeper into the issues, vision, challenges and wins within, surrounding, and impacting the child care industry in Oregon.

Resources

BuildUp Oregon Program Guidelines

Get the details on applying and receiving grant funding from BuildUp Oregon.

Including Family Child Care in Affordable Housing

Co-locating family child care in affordable housing requires specialized designs. This resource outlines key considerations.

Co-Locating ECE with Affordable Housing in Oregon

Why co-locating early care and education with affordable housing projects in Oregon matters.

NAEYC 2024 ECE Field Survey

This survey by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers details on the state of child care in Oregon.

Quality Environments for Children: A Design and Development Guide

This guide from Low Income Investment Fund breaks down the key steps to designing and developing an early care and education facility.

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