New Child Care Loan Fund to Address Child Care Shortage in Colorado
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Hallie Kim, Barefoot PR
hallie@barefootpr.com | 303-386-2488
Media Contact: Hallie Kim, Barefoot PR
hallie@barefootpr.com | 303-386-2488
New Child Care Loan Fund to Address Child Care Shortage in Colorado
Colorado Enterprise Fund, Gary Community Ventures, and Executives Partnering to Invest in Children team up to bring solutions to child care gaps in rural communities
DENVER (April 9, 2026) – Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) has partnered with Gary Community Ventures (Gary) and Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC) to launch the Child Care Loan Fund, a new initiative designed to address child care shortages in Colorado by expanding access to capital for child care providers.
As a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and small business lender, CEF will lead the fund’s lending efforts, expanding access to capital for child care providers seeking to start, sustain or grow their businesses throughout Colorado. CEF will serve as the lending partner for this initiative, offering child care providers reduced‑interest financing supported by backstop guarantees from Gary. Backstop guarantees help lower the risk for mission‑driven lenders like CEF. As a revolving loan fund, repayments will be reinvested into new child care loans, sustaining the program and extending its impact for years to come. Complementing these financial tools, EPIC will help by delivering actionable strategies and resources to strengthen Colorado’s child care infrastructure and sustainability growth across the sector.
The initiative builds on a recent report released by the three organizations, “Strong Foundations: Strategies for Child Care Capital and Supply-Building Solutions,” which outlines the biggest challenges in the child care system, including unsustainable business models, limited access to capital, and inconsistent public investment. The fund will address many of these needs by providing a low interest rate ranging from 3.99% to 7.99% and flexible terms for child care commercial real estate. The combination of low-cost capital (CEF), backstop guarantees (Gary), and policy advocacy and technical assistance (EPIC) will increase the flow of capital to child care operators.
“We understand child care is a desperately needed community resource, but can prove to be a challenging business model. We are creating a scalable solution to address this,” said Nim Patel, Chief Operating Officer at CEF. “By expanding access to capital, this fund will help child care providers invest in their facilities, grow their businesses, and increase child care options for families across rural Colorado.”
Gary Community Ventures has provided a $1M guarantee for loans provided through this program, helping increase access to flexible financing for and better understand the capital needs of child care providers.
“Access to quality, affordable child care should be the norm,” said Catherine Toner, Managing Director of Impact Investing at Gary Community Ventures. “Addressing a complex challenge like this requires strategic partnerships. We are grateful to work alongside CEF and EPIC to offer this new financing opportunity to support child care providers across Colorado.”
“This new fund will allow parents to access high-quality child care by funding providers located in areas considered child care deserts. Approximately 51% of Colorado falls into this category, where there are more than 3 children for every available licensed spot. As a result, 1 in 4 parents of children under the age of 3 have left a job due to child care challenges,” mentioned Alethea Gomez, Colorado Executive Director for EPIC.
By investing in childcare, local and state economies benefit from a more productive workforce, job creation, poverty reduction, and support for community needs. This collaborative effort strengthens our collective response to evolving business and community needs. For more information on this new loan fund, please visit: https://coloradoenterprisefund.org/Childcare-Loan-Program
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About Colorado Enterprise Fund
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) is a nonprofit small business lender dedicated to supporting undercapitalized entrepreneurs start or grow their business. CEF, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), offers loans ranging from $10K to $1M for those who don’t meet traditional financing guidelines, filling a vital void between conventional banking and high-interest alternatives. Beyond financing, CEF provides no-cost business coaching to support clients’ growth and sustainability. CEF has disbursed over $441 million in capital to 9,800 businesses statewide and is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2026. For more information, visit: www.coloradoenterprisefund.org
As a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and small business lender, CEF will lead the fund’s lending efforts, expanding access to capital for child care providers seeking to start, sustain or grow their businesses throughout Colorado. CEF will serve as the lending partner for this initiative, offering child care providers reduced‑interest financing supported by backstop guarantees from Gary. Backstop guarantees help lower the risk for mission‑driven lenders like CEF. As a revolving loan fund, repayments will be reinvested into new child care loans, sustaining the program and extending its impact for years to come. Complementing these financial tools, EPIC will help by delivering actionable strategies and resources to strengthen Colorado’s child care infrastructure and sustainability growth across the sector.
The initiative builds on a recent report released by the three organizations, “Strong Foundations: Strategies for Child Care Capital and Supply-Building Solutions,” which outlines the biggest challenges in the child care system, including unsustainable business models, limited access to capital, and inconsistent public investment. The fund will address many of these needs by providing a low interest rate ranging from 3.99% to 7.99% and flexible terms for child care commercial real estate. The combination of low-cost capital (CEF), backstop guarantees (Gary), and policy advocacy and technical assistance (EPIC) will increase the flow of capital to child care operators.
“We understand child care is a desperately needed community resource, but can prove to be a challenging business model. We are creating a scalable solution to address this,” said Nim Patel, Chief Operating Officer at CEF. “By expanding access to capital, this fund will help child care providers invest in their facilities, grow their businesses, and increase child care options for families across rural Colorado.”
Gary Community Ventures has provided a $1M guarantee for loans provided through this program, helping increase access to flexible financing for and better understand the capital needs of child care providers.
“Access to quality, affordable child care should be the norm,” said Catherine Toner, Managing Director of Impact Investing at Gary Community Ventures. “Addressing a complex challenge like this requires strategic partnerships. We are grateful to work alongside CEF and EPIC to offer this new financing opportunity to support child care providers across Colorado.”
“This new fund will allow parents to access high-quality child care by funding providers located in areas considered child care deserts. Approximately 51% of Colorado falls into this category, where there are more than 3 children for every available licensed spot. As a result, 1 in 4 parents of children under the age of 3 have left a job due to child care challenges,” mentioned Alethea Gomez, Colorado Executive Director for EPIC.
By investing in childcare, local and state economies benefit from a more productive workforce, job creation, poverty reduction, and support for community needs. This collaborative effort strengthens our collective response to evolving business and community needs. For more information on this new loan fund, please visit: https://coloradoenterprisefund.org/Childcare-Loan-Program
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About Colorado Enterprise Fund
Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF) is a nonprofit small business lender dedicated to supporting undercapitalized entrepreneurs start or grow their business. CEF, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), offers loans ranging from $10K to $1M for those who don’t meet traditional financing guidelines, filling a vital void between conventional banking and high-interest alternatives. Beyond financing, CEF provides no-cost business coaching to support clients’ growth and sustainability. CEF has disbursed over $441 million in capital to 9,800 businesses statewide and is celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2026. For more information, visit: www.coloradoenterprisefund.org
