30 Years of children’s Investment Fund

Today, with designation as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) from the U.S. Treasury, Children’s Investment Fund (CIF) sits at the nexus of early childhood education and community development. Through CIF’s professional development workshops for educators, early-stage predevelopment grants and loans, and ongoing technical assistance, they have seen the powerful impact of investments in early childhood education and out-of-school time infrastructure, and look forward to carrying this knowledge into the next decade and beyond. Keep scrolling for highlights and a 30-year timeline below.

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CIF’s Impact (1991-2020)

577

Facility Projects Completed

$80M

in Loan/Grant Volume

Leveraging

$170M

in Additional Private/Public Funding

32K

Early Education/After School Slots Created or Approved

Children’s Investment Fund Established

United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley creates Children’s Investment Fund, aka Child Care Capital Investment Fund, as a five-year pilot program with capitalization from a handful of foundations, including the Ford Foundation.

1991

CIF Moves to CEDAC

United Way transfers the Children’s Investment Fund to the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), enhancing its capacity and reach.

1997

First Building Stronger Centers Training Institute

CIF holds its first intensive, multi-day training that gives child care providers insights into renovating or building high-quality child care facilities.

2001

CIF and CEDAC Help Connect Child Care, Affordable Housing

Working with Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA), CEDAC and CIF fund a new facility for Escuelita Boriken, IBA’s bilingual child care program in Boston’s South End neighborhood.

2001

CIF Partners with Providers to Build Natural Playgrounds

CIF provides funding for a natural playground at the Crispus Attucks Children’s Center in Dorchester, along with many others.

2010

Building An Infrastructure For Quality - Facilities Inventory Report

CIF commissions and publishes the first-ever comprehensive review of Massachusetts child care facilities, setting the groundwork for the Early Education and Out-of-School Time Capital Fund.

2011

Capital Fund Established

State’s Housing Bond Bill includes $45 million authorization over five years for early childhood education and out-of-school time facilities.

2013

First Capital Fund Project Opens

The Beverly Children’s Learning Center, one of the first child care facilities utilizing funding from the Capital Fund, celebrates its grand opening.

2015

Design Guidelines

CIF’s Design Guidelines present standards and best practices unique to early childhood education and out-of-school time facilities.

2017

CIF Increases Capacity Through CDFI Certification

The U.S. Department of the Treasury certifies CIF as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), enabling CIF to apply for federal funding to increase low-cost lending capital for facility improvements throughout Massachusetts. CIF is awarded its first funding from the CDFI Fund the same year.

2018

Over 30 Capital Fund Projects Funded: Capital Fund Reauthorized

The Massachusetts legislature’s Housing Bond Bill reauthorizes the Capital Fund with $45 million for an additional five years.