Child Care Resources will proceed to the final round of the Yale School of Management national business plan competition to compete for $500,000 in prize money.

After considering 551 nonprofit organizations’ business plans, Child Care Resources’ Online Training Venture was selected as one of the top 20 in the nation. Child Care Resources will present their business plan in the final round of the competition to a panel of expert judges in New York City, May 12-13, 2004.

The non-profit world is changing. State and federal budgets are providing less support, foundations are giving less due to a volatile stock market and the multitude of fundraisers have made it difficult to raise private funds through traditional methods. Many forward thinking non-profits like Child Care Resources are developing earned income ventures to generate the additional revenue they need to fulfill their mission.

Childcare has become as much a part of the very fabric of our community as the public school system and Child Care Resources believes that well-trained childcare providers are imperative to quality care. The Online Training Venture creates a new vision for how high quality content and the effective use of technology can shape the future of distance learning in the childcare market by delivering instructor led training 24/7 over the Internet. The venture is currently generating over 50% of its income from out-of-state childcare providers.

An advisory committee of local business leaders assisted in the development of the business plan and continues to volunteer their time and expertise in preparation for the final round.

Child Care Resources’ Online Training Venture Advisory Committee:

The University of Montana School of Business Administration:

Dr. Jeff Shay, Professor of Entrepreneurship

Dr. Jakki Mohr, Professor of Marketing

The University of Montana Information Technology Office:

Gordy Pace, Director of Applications & Media Development

Montana Community Development Corporation:

Rosalie Sheehy Cates, Executive Director

Larry Williams, Loan Fund Manager

Steve Grover, Director, Small Business Development Center

Craig Rawlings, Small Wood Enterprise Agent

First Security Bank of Missoula
Jim Seel, Vice President, Commercial Lending

Montana Business Capital
Thomas Swenson, President

The Yale School of Management – The Goldman Sachs Foundation Partnership of Nonprofit Ventures will also provide Child Care Resources with hundreds of hours of business planning consultations from industry leaders and the Yale School of Management.

For more information about the competition go to: http://www.ventures.yale.edu

Child Care Resources has offices in Missoula and Hamilton. Our Missoula office is located at:

127 E Main St, Suite 314

Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 728-6446

fax: (406) 549-1189

Our mailing address is:

PO Box 7038

Missoula, MT 59807

Our Hamilton office is located at:

316 N 3rd, Suite 160

Hamilton, MT 59840

(406) 363-4599

fax: (406) 363-5711

http://childcareresources.org/