Child care cost share programs help families, workplaces, and our community.
For years, Anchorage has experienced a child care shortage–like many communities throughout the U.S. In 2023, United Way of Anchorage convened local organizations to learn their most pressing concerns and asked community members to share their lived experiences. Our conversations revealed the toll that the child care shortage has on families, employers, and our economy. We were compelled us to find solutions to this problem.
Because we're committed to helping Alaskans have Financial Security, Healthy Community, and Youth Opportunity, we searched out options that could work. United Way learned about child care cost share programs. We decided to evaluate what implementation of them in Anchorage could look like.
Cost share programs will improve Anchorage families’ financial security, strengthen our economy, and deliver quality care and opportunity for youth.
Cost-Sharing Definition
With child care cost share programs, employers help make child care more affordable by covering a portion of their employees’ costs. Often, payments are split between parties, including governments, employers, and employees. (In some places, these programs may be called “tri-share.”) Cost share programs help workplaces attract and retain quality employees. By making child care more affordable, workers, their families, communities, and local economies all win.
First Nationwide Study
United Way commissioned the first-in-the-nation child care cost share feasibility study and learned something very important for our community: Anchorage employers are interested in helping employees secure access to child care through a cost share program. Connecting the needs of workplaces and families can make child care more affordable for employees and help Anchorage’s workforce stabilize and grow. That type of solution is what United Way strives to support.
85% of Anchorage Parents Report Cost as a Barrier to Child Care
82% of Anchorage Workplaces Say Employees Struggle to Find Child Care
66% of Anchorage Workplaces Would Consider Enrolling in a Cost Share Program
Local Viability
Our community has been wrestling with child care costs, and United Way determined that we could help alleviate this challenge by focusing on affordability interventions. Our inspiration came from five states that launched child care cost share programs. Using successful models as a basis, United Way evaluated the viability of cost share programs for Anchorage. Lessons learned from across the U.S. and factors local to our community provided us with a framework to use.
Partner Collaboration
United Way partnered with Denali Daniels + Associates and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce to complete our child care cost share feasibility study. Together, we studied expert interviews, quantitative and qualitative research, business community insights, survey results, and employers’ feedback. Our child care cost chare feasibility study produced insightful, actionable results. Our partners and the Anchorage Child Care and Early Education Fund made this study possible.
Initial Cohort
Next steps for cost-sharing in Anchorage include forming a small cohort of employers. As information becomes available, United Way will provide those details, including how to sign up. If you are a for-profit or nonprofit employer in Anchorage and are interested in participating in a child care cost share program, please complete the form below. Together, we will continue to help everyone in our community thrive.