Potts Family Foundation CEO joins National Women’s Entrepreneur Childcare Commission

Potts Family Foundation is proud to announce that CEO AJ Griffin has been invited to join the National Women’s Entrepreneur Childcare Project, United WE. Griffin joined 26 women from across the country the first of November in Kansas City, MO, to launch the United WE collaboration. This group of national leaders came together to discuss advancing research and policy solutions that will reduce red tape in childcare licensing and address the childcare crisis for women entrepreneurs on both sides of the childcare equation, entrepreneurial childcare providers, and entrepreneurial mothers.

“Access to childcare is a cascading crisis. A situation that was at its breaking point before the pandemic and loosely held together with pandemic-era relief funding,” said Griffin. “Now that critical childcare funding has expired and sent America over a childcare cliff, the potential effects could be disastrous for families, the economy and especially women.” 

The United WE National Commission on Childcare and Women’s Entrepreneurship is a critical component of the National Women’s Entrepreneur Childcare Project, an effort funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, that will generate new policy ideas in the heartland to reduce the childcare barriers limiting women’s entrepreneurship.

Access to childcare is an economic equity and workforce development issue. “I’m honored to be part of this initiative on behalf of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma. This initiative is critically important. The success or failure of the childcare industry greatly contributes to the success or failure of the Oklahoma City and Oklahoma workforce. According to the Center for American Progress, 43% percent of Oklahoma’s 77 counties have been labeled childcare desserts, and that includes Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties,” says Griffin.

Hurdles that need to be eliminated for women entrepreneurs in this market sector include addressing issues such as low pay scales that hamper recruitment and retention, zoning codes that limit accessibility, childcare subsidies that are a drop in the bucket and fees for exceptions to the codes that would make childcare more accessible and affordable. Discovering what policies can be created to address the childcare issues across the country is why United WE is conducting a nationwide survey to better understand the childcare needs and barriers for mothers who are entrepreneurs in a post COVID-19 environment. Preliminary survey findings will be compiled for a full release in 2024.

In addition to the Commission of national leaders and the nationwide survey, the project includes a state-by-state childcare licensing research study as part of the United WE Institute, a mid-year Commission report to be released in 2024 and the creation of a collaboration with women entrepreneurs to advocate for policy change.

“Childcare infrastructure is critical in supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in our communities,” said DeAngela Burns-Wallace, President and CEO, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. “The existing barriers limit women’s entrepreneurial risk-taking ability, which ultimately affects us all. By collaborating with United WE and the National Women’s Entrepreneur Childcare Project, we can amplify the voices of those most affected, raise awareness about the existing barriers, and develop more effective policy solutions."

The nonpartisan Commission will generate new policy ideas about childcare barriers that are limiting women’s entrepreneurial risk taking. Learn more about how United WE is creating meaningful change for all women at www.united-we.org. United WE is committed to elevating evidence-based research and nonpartisan policy to advance all women.