The vast majority of child development centers operating in GSA space are managed by professional child care providers under contract to local employee/agency sponsored Nonprofit Boards.

This Nonprofit Board management model has proven to be an effective means of ensuring agency involvement, and local commitment to the center.

Well functioning Boards in synergy with sponsoring agencies and providers make the difference between good and great child development centers.

The mission of the Board is to ensure that a stable, high quality child development program is available to all Federal families who wish to participate.

One of the most important functions of the Boards in support of this mission is to have an active tuition assistance plan. By providing tuition assistance the Board is fulfilling its mandate to help provide care for all families regardless of income. To find out more about tuition assistance plans and models, check out the OPM, Workplace Advocacy Office, web site and their Guide for Implementing Child Care Legislation. Included in this guide are samples and models of tuition assistance plans. http://www.opm.gov/wrkfam/html/cldguide.htm

Boards should consider themselves "Tuition Assistance Offices" and seek funds from as many sources as possible.

Fundraising Activities
Grants: http://www.foundationcenter.org/
CFC: OPM site http://www.opm.gov/cfc/index.htm
Recycling income
Federal Agency's tuition assistance programs authorized through legislation and made permanent as codified in 40 U.S.C. 590
Public vouchers administered by the State or County

WELL FUNCTIONING BOARDS:

• Meet regularly
  
• Have full attendance and participation
  
• Keep abreast of child development and child care business issues*
  
• Participate in their local child care communities
  
• Are active fundraisers
  
• Seek training to improve board process and functioning: http://www.ncnb.org/main.htm
  
• Recruit members to fill needs of the Board
  
• Provide orientation to new Board members

Check out the Board of Directors Resource Book in the publication section of this web site.

* Zero to Three, a national nonprofit charitable organization whose aim is to strengthen and support families, practitioners and communities to promote the healthy development of babies and toddlers, has released a new survey "What Grownups know about Child Development": A National Benchmark Survey. This could be a good starting point for some lunch and learn events at child care centers.