Respond by April 1 to be One of a Dozen Applicants Selected

The City of Goleta is focused on providing more childcare options to its residents. On December 3, 2024, the City Council approved funding for several childcare initiatives to support local families and enhance community well-being. The funding, made possible through Measure B, is a part of the City’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable childcare solutions to meet the needs of working families.

The City is partnering with local nonprofit agencies including the Santa Barbara Foundation, United Way of Santa Barbara County, Children’s Resource & Referral (CRR), and Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV). CRR is launching a program to create 96 new licensed childcare spaces in the City. With this funding, CRR will take a dozen individuals and provide them with the tools they need to become a licensed home childcare provider. Interested Goleta residents should call 805-925-7071 or email ProviderServices@crrsb.org by April 1, 2025, to be considered for the program.

For CRR’s Goleta program, those selected will receive personalized coaching, rigorous training, and vital business development support. Once licensed, they will participate in an 8-week Quality Business Cohort, a collaborative effort with Women’s Economic Ventures, where they will gain entrepreneurial skills. The cohort will also receive training in the Environmental Rating Scale tool, a methodology designed to elevate the quality of care and programming within their Family Child Care Homes. Upon completing the cohort in 2026, each provider will be awarded $2,500 worth of high-quality materials and furnishings, tailored to their specific needs and assessment results.

This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to become a licensed home childcare provider. For questions, please contact Shannon Kirn at the City of Goleta via email skirn@cityofgoleta.org or phone: (805) 562-5512. To sign up for the program call 805-925-7071 or email ProviderServices@crrsb.org by April 1, 2025.

About Children’s Resource & Referral of Santa Barbara County

Over the decades, CRR has expanded from those humble beginnings into an organization that now helps hundreds of aspiring childcare providers start their own licensed programs. They also administer subsidy programs that give thousands of lower income and at-risk families the financial assistance to access high-quality care, providing critical early learning experiences to help prepare children for kindergarten. This comprehensive support across the childcare spectrum has made Santa Barbara County a state and national leader in quality care, including having the most Nationally Accredited Family Child Care Providers per capita. In the past two years CRR’s efforts have led to over 2,000 new childcare spaces countywide, directly addressing the acute shortage of quality care options. CRR’s enduring legacy and impact shows how small community programs, started with passion and care, can grow to make a difference across a region. Learn more: https://crrsbc.org.