ARVADA, Colorado – The Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce today announced it has been selected as a recipient of $20,000 in grant funding through the Child Care Access Alliance, a statewide partnership launched by the Colorado Chamber Foundation, Gary Community Ventures and Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC).
As one of seven chambers of commerce chosen through a thorough application process and review process, the Greater Arvada Chamber receive the funds to understand and address local child care challenges in Jefferson County
“Access to affordable, reliable childcare is essential for a strong workforce and a thriving local economy,” said Kami Welch, President & CEO of the Greater Arvada Chamber. “This investment allows us to better understand the challenges facing Jefferson County employers and families and take meaningful steps toward solutions that support both.”
Through this initiative, the chamber and their partners will build knowledge about local child care challenges through employer surveys, interviews and gatherings; assess the local business impacts of insufficient affordable child care; and identify promising employer, local and statewide strategies to address these challenges.
Following the assessment, the Greater Arvada Chamber will develop a regional report that outlines the local child care landscape, highlight key findings from employer surveys and recommend solutions including employer-led actions and local and statewide policy opportunities.
“Child care is a critical workforce issue, and we’re proud to partner with organizations like the Greater Arvada Chamber to address it at the local level,” said Rachel Beck, executive director of the Colorado Chamber Foundation. “By working together to expand access, we can support working families, strengthen early childhood development and build a stronger talent pipeline for Colorado.”
“We’re excited to partner with chambers across Colorado and lift up their leadership in driving solutions to child care challenges,” said Steffanie Clothier, director of school readiness with Gary Community Ventures. “This work will spark innovation at the local level and help shape what’s possible across the state.”
“Colorado’s child care challenges affect families, employers and the state’s economy, which is why business leadership is so important to advancing solutions,” said Alethea Gomez, Colorado executive director of Executives Partnering to Invest in Children (EPIC). “The Child Care Access Alliance is an opportunity to work alongside chambers and regional partners across Colorado to better understand local needs, elevate actionable and scalable strategies, and build momentum for practical solutions that help children, families and employers thrive.”
Regional insights will contribute to a comprehensive statewide report that aims to provide a clearer understanding of Colorado’s child care challenges and identify proposed solutions. The chamber grantees work is expected to conclude by the spring of 2027, with the statewide report to follow.
Affordable and accessible child care is essential to Colorado’s economic competitiveness. The Colorado Chamber Foundation’s Vision 2033 identifies workforce shortages as one of the state’s most urgent challenges, with employers across industries citing the high cost and limited availability of child care as a major barrier to attracting and retaining talent.
Colorado’s child care challenges have broad-reaching impacts. The state ranks among the most expensive in the nation for care, with the average annual cost of child care being $20,978 for an infant and $17,479 for a toddler. At the same time, Colorado faces a critical shortage of licensed child care seats, with more than half of the state considered a child care desert. Altogether, the lack of affordable and accessible child care results in an estimated $2.7 billion loss to Colorado’s economy each year.
Learn more about the Child Care Access Alliance and its work across Colorado here. <link>
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The Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce is a community of businesses, organizations, and local leaders working together to solve challenges, foster meaningful connections, and develop the next generation of talent and leadership. Our work – driving action on conversations, resources, and large-scale initiatives that businesses can’t tackle on their own – is central to the long-term success of our community as a whole. When you play a part, we all thrive.
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